Lolita
by princezsupastar
Summary: When Uchiha Sasuke asked Haruno Sakura to be his wife, she thought she couldn't be happier. That was, until she realized that there was someone else, someone she'd never dreamed about being with in a million years, someone who could truly make her happy.
1. Chapter 1

**LOLITA**

_'When Uchiha Sasuke asked Haruno Sakura to be his wife, she thought she couldn't be happier. That was, until she realized that there was someone else, someone she'd never dreamed about being with in a million years, someone who could truly make her happy.'_

_I know, I know. I shouldn't have started yet another story, especially when I shouldn't have even written Unbroken until all my other stories are finished. But this one has been in my head for months now, begging to be let free and I couldn't resist. Think of it more as my side project._

_It won't be as big/long as Unbroken, it's roughly estimated to be about eleven chapters, but it's still going to be a good story. Yay love triangles! How I do adore them._

_So, please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved. :)_

_The cover art is called 'In Touch' by sorceressmyr and can be found on DeviantArt._

CHAPTER ONE

"Sakura, will you marry me?"

The petal-haired woman could only stare blankly at him, her viridian eyes wide with shock, her mouth slightly agape. The entire restaurant had fallen silent, not even the chinks of cutlery against plates could be heard, and he could feel the numerous pairs of eyes that were fixated on their forms.

His dark eyes narrowed.

"An answer would be appreciated."

Sakura finally blinked and closed her mouth, broken out of her momentary state.

"Are… are you sure, Sasuke-kun?"

"If I wasn't, I sure as hell wouldn't be bent down on one knee proposing to you, would I?"

Despite his snarky remark and the tone that had accompanied it, Sakura's lips had broken into a wide, beaming smile. It was the day she had been wishing for since she'd first laid eyes on the Uchiha prodigy, the one dream that had kept her going when it seemed that all hope was lost. She'd fantasized about becoming Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha since she could remember, and now it seemed that was become a reality.

"Of course I'll marry you, Sasuke-kun."

Wordlessly, he took the diamond ring from it's small blue velvet box and swiftly placed it on her finger. Before he could move off the floor and back to his own seat, Sakura lurched forward and threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug, despite never actually embraced him in such a way before. It was then that she realized that the restaurant had erupted with applause from the other diners, her embarrassment distracting her from the fact that Sasuke had stiffened from her sudden contact and had not returned her embrace.

Finally she withdrew her arms and sat back in her seat, admiring the ring that now sat upon her finger as Sasuke returned to his chair.

"This ring, it's beautiful!" she remarked, gazing at it with a content smile on her lips.

"It was my mother's." Sasuke replied with a non-committal shrug, his voice void of any emotion despite the subject of his words.

Sakura frowned ever so slightly, the change in her features missed by her new fiancé as he picked up his knife and fork and once again began to eat his dinner.

The proposal had been sudden. Incredibly sudden. They weren't in a relationship, they hadn't even been dating. He'd simply asked her to dinner that night, and she'd accepted, believing it to be the first date and the start of something. She hadn't expected for him to bend down on one knee and ask her to marry him.

She supposed that her acceptance of his proposal would be met with confusion from others. Why had she said yes? The answer was simple - she loved Sasuke. She had for years, despite everything that had transpired. This was an opportunity she could not miss, not when there was a chance that he felt the same way. He hadn't said anything to her along those lines, there had been no indications of his feelings, but the marriage proposal had been enough.

They would be husband and wife, and he would be hers forever, and she his.

Sakura didn't dare question it.

Instead she basked in the joy of knowing they were to be wed, and gushed on about the future they were to have, the wedding of her dreams. Sasuke remained silent, nodding every so often but his focus seemed to be entirely on his food, and once that had been devoured, he decided that it was time to leave.

He walked her home, aware of the way she managed to flash her ring to every passer-by that they happened upon. Yet, he kept his mouth shut, choosing instead to block out her ramblings with years of practice. Sakura paid this no attention, prattling on about their friends and her predictions of their reactions to the news.

Once they had reached her apartment, she attempted to kiss him goodnight but he turned his face away so her lips met his cheek instead. Clearly hurt by his actions, Sakura's smile faltered before turning into a frown, causing Sasuke to sigh.

"I would like to keep that for our wedding day."

She raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing in reply. Instead she unlocked her door and headed inside, throwing one last glance at her fiancé who looked blankly back at her before turning and heading down the street. Sakura watched him as his disappeared into the darkness of the night before she sighed and closed the door.

* * *

A few weeks later, Sakura found herself trying on wedding dresses at Ino's insistence. The bossy blonde had declared herself unofficial wedding planner when Sakura had told her of the engagement, and today it had seemed like the perfect day to find the perfect dress.

Sakura made her way out of the changing room, wincing at the amount of layers of tulle and lace that the dress she was currently wearing contained. As soon as she came into Ino's eyesight, the blonde squealed happily and clapped her hands together.

"Oh my gosh, that looks amazing!"

Sakura turned to face the mirror, grimacing at the reflection. The dress was absolutely horrid, and she was finding it difficult to locate herself within it. The skirt of the dress was huge, drowning her petite frame within itself, and the puffed sleeves weren't giving itself any favours either.

She turned back and raised an eyebrow at the blonde, who instantly lost her beaming smile and pouted at the pinkette.

"Honestly Sakura, you have no taste in fashion."

Sakura sighed.

"I already explained to you, I just want a simple dress. One I won't get lost in."

With that, she returned to the changing room and somehow managed to escape the dress, although it did take her quite a long time to do so. Once she was back in her own clothes, a pair of comfy jeans matched with a simple red tee and black sneakers, she returned to Ino, who frowned.

"You're not going to try on any more dresses today, are you."

It was not a question, but a statement.

Sakura simply shook her head in response, causing the blonde to sigh.

"Fine. But don't think you're getting out of it next week!"

After thanking the shop's attendants, the two women left and headed back through the village's main road, heading to a nearby café. Sakura was practically famished from all the changes of dresses, and needed to fill her growling belly.

Once they were seated and the waitress had come and taken their orders, Sakura leaned back in the chair before looking to her left hand, finding the familiar sight of her engagement ring. It was beautifully crafted, everyone had told her so. The fact that it had belonged to Sasuke's mother also gave the jewellery extra meaning. Well, at least to Sakura it did.

Her thoughts went to her fiancé, wondering what he was doing. She had hardly seen him since the night he had proposed, and even then it had only been in passing, small talk made about how the plans for the wedding were coming along before he made some kind of excuse to leave and then stalked off.

She was grateful that he'd left her in charge of the wedding plans, it gave her a distraction from her questioning thoughts about the circumstances of the engagement and marriage itself. All she had to do was remind herself of how much she loved Sasuke, and that she was soon to be his wife.

Unaware that she was making a face as she gazed at her ring, Ino lifted up a slender eyebrow at her best friend before clearing her throat and catching the pinkette's attention.

"You okay, Forehead?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern despite the fact that she had used the nickname that Sakura detested the most.

Sakura sighed and placed her hand back under the table, hiding the ring from her sight.

"Just having bad thoughts."

This caught the blonde's interest. "Bad thoughts?"

"About Sasuke-kun and the engagement. I mean, I'm ecstatic that he asked me to marry him, but I can't help but think about everything else. I mean, we weren't even in a relationship when he proposed, and he's barely looked at me since." Sakura clarified, her lips curling into a frown.

Ino mirrored Sakura's expression. "Have you spoken to him about it?"

Sakura let out a derisive snort. "This is Sasuke-kun we're talking about."

"Ah, fair enough." Ino sighed, placing her elbow on the table and using her hand to prop up her face, cradling her cheek with it.

"We haven't even kissed. I tried to but he shot me down."

Ino's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "You didn't tell me that!"

Sakura sighed. "It's not exactly something I want to be sharing with everyone."

"Hmm." Ino pondered aloud. "Maybe you just weren't doing it properly."

Now it was Sakura's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware that there was a right and wrong way."

Ino rolled her baby-blue eyes. "Of course there is. Just shows how unexperienced you are."

The pinkette folded her arms. She hated being reminded of her lack of experience with boys, and Ino knew it. She'd waited for Sasuke for so long that other boys just couldn't compare. And now here she was, twenty years old and never been kissed.

"I think you should try and seduce him. Make him unable to resist you. Then he can ravish you and you can give me all the saucy details." Ino waggled her eyebrows at her best friend suggestively.

Seduce Sasuke? She'd probably have better luck seducing a brick wall.

"I don't know Ino…"

"Oh come on, it's totally easy." Ino waved her off. "You just need an adjustment to your wardrobe, a little bit of liquid confidence, otherwise known as alcohol, and knowledge of how sex works. I know you have the last one, and I'm sure I can help you with the other two."

Sakura bit her lip. Could it actually work? Could she actually entice Sasuke into making love to her? It sounded too good to be true.

"Besides, it's always a good idea to try before you buy." Ino added, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder before winking at Sakura.

"I'm sure you'd know all about that, Ino-Pig." Sakura retorted, smirking at the blonde who simply sneered back in response.

It was then that their meals came, the two chatting idly as they ate over trivial things, as well as Ino's various relationships over the previous few months. Sakura knew the truth behind Ino's serial dating, and that was because she was avoiding her deep feelings for her team-mate, Shikamaru. Ino had fallen for him in her youth, although she wouldn't dare admit those feelings, or even acknowledge them.

But Sakura knew, she could see it when the two were around one another. It was only a matter of time before one of them finally came to their senses and initiated a relationship.

Once their meals were devoured, the girls paid and left the café before going their separate ways. Ino had a shift at her family's flower shop, and Sakura was heading home to work on the guest list for the wedding.

The two girls said their goodbyes, making plans to meet up the next day and work on what Ino was calling the 'Seducing the Uchiha' scheme. Sakura was still sceptical, but figured that it wouldn't hurt to try and initiate some intimacy in her relationship with Sasuke.

She wandered down the road, noticing the whispers and stares that followed her. She'd quickly gained notoriety for becoming the wife-to-be of Uchiha Sasuke, the former missing-nin. Sasuke had been brought home two years earlier by Naruto, and was still trying to gain favour from the villagers after his rehabilitation.

It had been a long road for Sasuke, he'd been through so much since leaving as a twelve-year old boy. There had been many trust issues involved, and Sasuke had spent his first six months back in Konoha behind bars, bands on his legs and hands preventing him from using chakra. When he was deemed trustworthy again by Tsunade, he'd been allowed to return to society and continue his training.

With the Uchiha compound destroyed by the invasion of Pein, Sasuke hadn't been able to return to his former home. However, he had been made aware of a large inheritance as he was the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, and now owned his own house on the richer part of the village. Sakura's own apartment was tiny compared to his spacious home.

"You seem to be very deep in thought."

A rumbling baritone voice sounded on Sakura's right side, and she paused mid-stride to find it's owner. Her pretty face lit up when her viridian eyes met the sole obsidian one of her former teacher.

"Kakashi-sensei!" she exclaimed brightly, throwing her arms around his neck in a quick hug.

She usually did not give Kakashi hugs, but this was an exception. It had been a good few months since they had seen one another, Kakashi having been sent on a lengthy mission to Suna to aid the Kazekage, Gaara.

"It's good to see you too." the silver-haired shinobi chuckled, looking down at his former student.

It seemed to him that Sakura had become much more womanly than the last time he'd seen her. Of course, he would never voice this thought aloud, knowing what others would think. He was fourteen years her senior. And according to the rumours he'd been hearing since his return to the village, she was also engaged.

"I believe congratulations are in order?"

Her cheeks flushed red instantly with Kakashi's words, reminding him of her younger self.

"You heard?"

He moved his hand to absentmindedly scratch the back of his head.

"About the engagement? Yeah. It's all over the village."

Just when he'd thought it wasn't possible for Sakura to blush even more, her cheeks were now almost crimson in colour.

"I know it was sudden, but I know Sasuke-kun will make me happy."

At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi questioned, watching her carefully with his sole eye.

Sakura looked up at him, and for a second he could have sworn he'd seen shame in her green orbs.

"He proposed to me a few weeks ago. I said yes."

Kakashi stook silent for a moment as he let this information sink in. He knew what kind of man Sasuke was, and what kind of woman Sakura was.

He knew that the two would never be truly happy with one another.

But once again, he did not voice this opinion.

"I certainly hope he makes you happy, Sakura."

With that, he turned around and began to stride down the street in the opposite direction, not daring to look back in case he said something he would ultimately regret later.

"Kakashi-sensei, would you like an invite to the wedding?" Sakura shouted out behind him as she watched his retreating form. For some unexplainable reason, she wanted him to be there. Even more, she wanted his blessing.

"I'm not really a fan of weddings."

With a wave of his hand, Kakashi kept on walking until eventually he was no longer in Sakura's line of sight. Her heart sank with his response, She should have known that the union would not get his approval. He'd been there when Sasuke had broken her heart, not once, not twice, but three times. He'd been there, along with Naruto and the rest of her friends, picking up the pieces, knowing that it was only inevitable that it would happen again.

With that sad thought, she continued on her way home, returning her thoughts to the guest list.

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_**1**__. This story should be updated every week. __**Should.**_

_**2**__. I love writing Ino. I've always wanted to and now I have and it was so much fun!_

_**3.**__ Despite the fact that this is only small story and not my major focus at the moment, I adore it. And hope that you will too. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!_

_Please let me know what you think, feedback is incredibly helpful and very much appreciated. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_We're off to a slow start, but I'm hoping this chapter might help pique reader's interests. Hence why I'm updating it so early. Can't wait to see what people think of it!_

_Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved. :)_

CHAPTER TWO

Tonight, Sakura was going to seduce Uchiha Sasuke.

Or at least, she was going to attempt to.

Ino had been over earlier that day, practically throwing clothes at her repeatedly until they finally found an outfit that both of them could agree on.

The result was a black fitted dress that hugged Sakura's petite curves and complimented her average-sized bust, which had been made bigger for the evening with the help of a padded bra. The dress had two thin spaghetti straps on either side, and a neckline that delved into Sakura's newly-deepend cleavage but did not give any sign of the bra she was wearing. It ended mid-thigh, a little too short for Sakura's liking but Ino had reminded her that it was roughly the length of the apron-skirt she had worn at the age of sixteen.

Sakura had tried to remind Ino that she'd been more comfortable back then as she'd also worn shorts underneath, but to no avail.

Her petal-pink hair, which she'd allowed to grow to the point that it reached to the middle of her back, was set in soft waves that flowed around her face. Her make-up was simple, yet sultry, her viridian green eyes made brighter by the dark eyeliner and eyeshadow that Ino had so expertly used. Her cherry-pink lips had only lip-gloss on them, Ino claiming that the colour was enough without having to use lipstick.

On her feet were simple black pumps, the heel a little higher than she would have liked but she had to admit, they made her slender legs look even longer. At first they had been a little strange to become accustomed to, but after half an hour of practising in them, walking around her small apartment, she could walk in them easily.

She asked Sasuke to come around for dinner at seven, under the pretence that she wanted to discuss the wedding plans so far with him. She'd spent most of the afternoon preparing a delicious meal, using as many aphrodisiacs as she could in the hopes that it would aid her attempts at seducing Sasuke.

Checking herself over once again in the mirror, Sakura heard a knock at the door. With the sound of knuckles rapping against the wood, the nerves hit her instantly. She'd been so prepared, and lulled herself into a state of false confidence. Remembering Ino's pointers earlier, she took the glass of red wine she had poured herself and gulped the contents in one go.

Much better.

With that thought, she strode over to the door, opening it slowly to reveal the form of her fiancé. As her keen eyes looked over him, she swore she could feel her mouth beginning to salivate.

Sasuke was dressed in casual black jeans, matched with a white collared shirt which wasn't buttoned all the way up, revealing his creamy toned chest. Black dress shoes were on his feet, his hair ruffled into it's usual style. He was effortlessly sexy.

And Sakura knew it drove her crazy.

He looked her up and down as well, but with a questioning eyebrow. He'd never seen Sakura so dressed up before. She was the kind of girl who chose comfort over style, hiding away the curves which were now displayed before him. He had to admit, she looked incredible. But it only rose his suspicion of why she had asked him to dinner.

"Hey you." she practically purred, causing Sasuke to raise both eyebrows in surprise. He said nothing, instead moving into the apartment, breezing past his fiancée without so much as a look.

Still, Sakura was not one to be put out. She simply closed the door and turned to Sauke, indicating that he take a seat at her small dining table. He did so wordlessly, scowling slightly as he looked around the room.

"Your apartment is incredibly small." he commented.

"It's all I can afford." she replied as she moved into the kitchen to collect the entrees.

Oysters were the most cliché aphrodisiac, even Sakura had said so, but Ino had insisted that she get them. She couldn't remember what Sasuke's taste in fish was like, but hoped that he would eat them nonetheless.

Placing his plate in front of him, she said nothing and neither did he as she set her own dish down and took her seat.

Looking down at the oysters, Sasuke grimaced inwardly. He'd never been too much of a fan, but his mother had always reminded him during his childhood that it was rude to not eat a meal that someone had prepared for him. So, holding his breath, he took one of the oysters in his fingers and held it to his lips, sucking the slimy grey portion into his mouth and swallowing it quickly.

Sakura was too busy with her own oysters to notice the look of absolute disgust on Sasuke's face. She wasn't too keen on them either, but to keep up appearances, she deftly scooped one up and devoured it, managing to keep her face looking pleasant.

Once they were both finished, and Sasuke was looking greyer than usual, she took the two plates into the kitchen.

"They were nice." she tried to strike up small talk, despite lying through her teeth.

"Ah." came his reply.

The main course was placed in front of the raven-haired man, it looked to be salmon with an asparagus, avocado and walnut salad. An interesting choice of flavours, he had to admit, but once again said nothing. He was surprised that she had chosen more seafood.

"Did you want a drink?" Sakura asked him, indicating to a bottle of red wine that he noticed had already been opened.

"Ah."

Having become accustomed to Sasuke's favourite way of replying to something, Sakura took out another glass and poured the wine into it before filling up her own glass once more. She placed the glasses on the table along with her own dinner and once again sat down, looking across the table at Sasuke.

"So…how's your training with Naruto going?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her attempt to start a conversation, but went along with it.

"The dobe is becoming a hindrance." he replied coolly, his eyes narrowing at the mention of the boisterous blonde. "He does not understand the seriousness of our training, choosing to goof around instead."

He'd been sceptical about training with Naruto, but had come to the realization that the whiskered man was now stronger than himself. Afterall, he'd managed to overpower Sasuke in their final fight, the defeat leading to Sasuke's return to Konoha.

"I'll try and talk to him, tell him to not be such an idiot." Sakura added, taking another sip from her glass. The wine was already beginning to affect her, she could feel the warmth travelling through her body, and her head felt slightly heavier than normal.

Sasuke didn't say anything in response, concentrating instead on eating his dinner. There was something strange about the foods Sakura had prepared for him, but what it was, he couldn't put his finger on.

Finally it was time for dessert, and Sasuke was not looking forward to it. He detested most sweet things, and was aware that Sakura loved them. Still, he was going to be polite and at least attempt to sample what she had made.

It was a chocolate and banana tart, topped with a vanilla crème and pomegranate seeds.

Sasuke knew Sakura was a good cook in her own right, but never knew she could make such a thing as this. A variety of flavours, he found himself actually curious to find out what it tasted like.

Sakura, on the other hand, was hoping with all she could that the flavours mixed well together. She'd never tried anything like it.

As they both began to eat, Sakura was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it had turned out. Sasuke, on the other hand, was not enjoying it all. The sweetness was too intense for his liking. After a few mouthfuls, he couldn't force himself to have any more. He pushed the plate away from him, and watched as Sakura ate her own portion instead.

She noticed that he was no longer eating.

"What's wrong? Didn't you like it?"

"I'm full." he lied.

Sakura accepted this with no complaints, and it wasn't too long until her plate was clean. She got to her feet and moved to take the dishes into the kitchen to clean them, but Sasuke beat her to it, taking both plates.

"Sasuke-kun, you don't have to-"

"You cooked."

Well, no-one could say that Sasuke Uchiha didn't have manners. He might have been a brooding, stoic man, but he certainly knew proper etiquette. Sakura followed him into the kitchen, leaning up against one of the counters as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt past his elbows and began to run the hot water into the sink.

If this was what married life with Sasuke would be like, Sakura found herself being quite happy with what her future had in store. She watched him contentedly, sipping on her wine. Perhaps tonight was not a total waste of time after all.

Then she remembered what the whole purpose of the night had been about. Setting her now-empty glass on the counter, she moved up behind Sasuke, wrapping her petite arms around his waist, snuggling her face into his back.

He froze.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" he growled, his tone warning.

Sakura lifted her head in surprise, but did not relinquish her embrace.

"Well, if we're to be married, I thought it might be a good idea to get to know one another."

He grunted. "Sakura, we do know one another."

She paused. "…not intimately."

So this was what tonight had been all about. Sasuke suddenly realized the common theme of the foods she had served him - they had primarily been aphrodisiacs. He felt like an idiot, the most obvious clue had been the dish of oysters at the start of the meal.

He lifted his hands from the sink and pulled her arms from his waist, turning around to face Sakura. Her face looked innocent, but there was a glint in those big green eyes that he found himself disliking.

"I want to wait until we are officially wed until we do anything like that."

Sakura's heart dropped. She hadn't been expecting those words to fall from the lips she'd been dying to kiss all night. Had he always been so proper? She had a feeling that he was not a virgin like herself, she knew very little of his personal life during his years as a missing-nin.

Had the aphrodisiacs not worked? Or was it herself that was the problem?

She stood back from him, trying her hardest to fight off the pout that had begun to appear on her lips.

"Is…is it because of me?"

Sasuke simple looked pointedly at her, his face betraying nothing.

"I want to do things properly."

Sex was something Sasuke was not a stranger to. He'd delved in it many times with various women, simply for satisfaction and a need for release, nothing else. Now, the only reason he would have intercourse was to revive his clan, which was why he was marrying Sakura.

She said nothing, simply nodding instead, but he could see the telltale signs of disappointment in her delicate features. His eyes narrowed slightly. He'd chosen Sakura because he'd believed she'd understood his reasoning for wanting to marry, that she would be able to accept that love was not part of the equasion.

Unfortunately, it seemed that he had been wrong.

Still, she was the best candidate out of the eligible women of his age in Konoha. If she wanted to try and love him, she could, but he knew she would end up sorely disappointed.

"I should go."

Her eyes snapped to his face, which was once again blank. She watched him as he wordlessly wiped his hands on the nearby dish-cloth, rolling down his sleeves and headed towards the door. She followed him, trying her best to keep optimistic about the future they would have, and that maybe one day, he would love her the same way that she loved him.

It was that optimism that kept her going.

"I will speak to you later." he farewelled her, before opening the door and exiting through it into the night. Sakura said nothing, once again watching him as he left.

Once he was completely gone, Sakura moved back into her apartment, sighing loudly.

The night had been a complete and utter failure.

She looked at the bottle of wine, which still held a quarter of it's content. Feeling disheartened, she grabbed the bottle and took a swig of it, forgoing a glass. Sakura was upset, feeling rejected, and somewhat randy from the aphrodisiacs. They may not have affected Sasuke, but they had certainly affected her.

With that thought, she quickly drained the bottle, placed it back on the table and headed out in search of the nearest bar.

* * *

Five more glasses of red wine later, Sakura was feeling considerably better. Drowning her woes was possibly the best idea she'd had all night. She felt freer of her emotions, and her mind wasn't going into overdrive as it usually did.

It wasn't incredibly busy at the bar she'd come across, it was mostly full of shinobi that were much older than herself, unwinding after their missions. All the men had certainly noticed Sakura when she had entered the establishment, which did wonders for her confidence, but there was no way that any of them would be coming home with her tonight.

Well, that and the fact that she was still engaged to Sasuke.

The diamond flashed at her, reminding her of that fact. She'd originally seen it as something of beauty, a sign that she was to become Sasuke Uchiha's and be the envy of all the woman in Konoha.

Now it seemed more like a sparkling ball-and-chain.

"Fancy seeing you here."

Sakura looked up at the familiar voice, smiling when her eyes met the masked face of Kakashi, who slid into the booth opposite her. He held a glass in his hand, some kind of brown liquid with a few cubes of ice. Sakura couldn't remember what alcohol it was. Whiskey? That seemed about right.

"I'm lamenting." she explained to him, despite the fact that he hadn't asked her anything.

"Ah, I see." he replied, giving her a knowing look that she could read from his eye.

The pinkette sighed.

"Since when did becoming an adult get so hard?"

Kakashi simply chuckled.

"I have no idea, I've never been one myself."

Sakura looked over at him quizzically, but he could see the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. However, it soon disappeared.

"I practically threw myself at Sasuke-kun tonight and he rejected me point blank."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. While he certainly did not want to get involved with his students' sex lives, he did want to reassure Sakura and make her feel better.

"Sasuke is an idiot."

His statement surprised Sakura, who had not been expecting that kind of response. He hid his amusement, but knew that his words were true. Especially with what she was currently wearing. He'd never seen her look so…womanly. There were curves he'd never knew had existed, and her dark-rimmed eyes just seemed to pop.

Sakura was sexy.

And Kakashi was going to hell for having such a thought.

"If he doesn't understand or sympathise with all the personal hell he's put you through and the fact that you're still willing to become his wife, then he's an idiot." he attempted to justify himself.

Sakura sighed before her lips formed a pout. A pout that made Kakashi's crotch twitch.

She was his student.

She was only twenty.

She was engaged.

Unfortunately for him, his cock didn't seem to care about those certain details.

"I'm sure that over time, he'll come to his senses."

The pout was gone, replaced with a hopeful smile.

"You really think so?"

Kakashi couldn't answer truthfully. He knew deep down that Sasuke would never see Sakura the way she wanted him to see her, they way that he should see her.

"How many glasses have you had?"

It was a poor attempt at trying to change the topic of conversation, but luckily for Kakashi, Sakura was too far gone to notice.

"I don't know…a few?"

Her words were barely slurred, but he could tell that she'd had enough. Getting to his feet and grateful that the situation in his pants had settled, he offered her a gloved hand.

"Would you like me to walk you home?"

Sakura blinked up at the silver-haired man, before nodding her head. Raising her glass to her lips, she downed the remainder of the wine and then stood up from her seat, swaying slightly from the sudden motion. Luckily Kakashi had managed to take hold of her arm before she became too unbalanced. The last thing she wanted was to fall on her ass and make a fool of herself.

The two exited the bar with no further mishaps, walking side by side. Kakashi was holding onto Sakura's hand that had been hooked through his arm and was settled on the crook of his elbow. She'd taken off her shoes and held them by the heels in her free hand as they wandered down the street.

The two didn't need to speak, finding themselves comfortable in one another's company. It wasn't long until the came upon Sakura's apartment, Kakashi concerned to find that her front door was unlocked.

However, Sakura reassured him that she had simply forgotten to lock it when she had left.

Realising that she was in no condition to make it to her bed unassisted, Kakashi carried her up the stairs, Sakura directing him in the direction of her bedroom. Once he had located the room, he gently dropped her on the bed, taking the shoes from her hand and placing them on the floor.

When he looked back at Sakura, she appeared to be asleep. However when he attempted to leave, her arm shot out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him down so he was forced to sit on the edge of the bed.

Sakura sat up, and despite the darkness in the rom, he could tell that she was smiling.

"Thanks Kakashi-sensei."

Then she did something he was not expecting.

She leaned over and kissed him, ever so softly, on the cheek.

Despite the fact that his mask covered that area of his face, he'd still felt it. He dared not say anything as Sakura laid back down, instantly succumbing to slumber.

Kakashi stayed a few moments longer until he was sure that she was asleep, then swiftly made his way downstairs and out of the apartment, making sure to lock the door as he did so.

He headed home, to where a cold shower would help eliminate the forbidden thoughts that had begun to plague his mind.

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_**1**__. I wrote this chapter just after the first one. I was originally going to wait a week for uploading it but I thought it might help get this little story a bit more interest. Fingers crossed!_  
_**2.**__ Sakura was drunk by the second half of the story, just not sloppily so. I still wanted her to be somewhat coherent and not all over the place. And writing drunk-speak is difficult and sometimes doesn't help the conversation flow as much as you need it to be._  
_**3.**__ Kakashi isn't in love with his student at this point. Recently he's just been made aware that she's somehow become a woman. A woman that he unwillingly find incredibly attractive. It makes for more fun. :)_

_Please let me know what you think, feedback is incredibly helpful and very much appreciated. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Been slack with an update, I know. Between real life stress and issues, as well as writing Unbroken, this story faded into the background for a while and I just couldn't find the motivation to write the next chapter. Obviously now I am writing it, therefore I found the inspiration needed. Yay!_

_The updates for Lolita will probably be less frequent, as I've mentioned before it's just my side project and therefore not my main focus at the moment. But it doesn't mean that I don't adore it, because I do. And I love the notices I receive for follows, favourites and reviews. I was initially worried that this story would not get any interest and that it would greatly pale in comparison to Unbroken, so that fact that you guys are reading it and liking it so far gives me confidence to keep writing it. _

_Thank you!_

And please, check out my Tumblr! I'll try and update there more often about what's happening with me and my stories, the link is on my profile.

_Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved. :)_

CHAPTER THREE

"Another cup of your finest sake, please."

The bartender nodded and hurried away to fulfil Sakura's order, leaving the pinkette to lean on the counter and sigh loudly.

It had been an absolutely miserable day. She'd worked one of the longer shifts at the hospital, starting early that morning and finishing up by late afternoon. In that time, there had been multiple patients, surgeries and emergencies. She'd been absolutely flat-out all day.

And then she realized she could not, for any reason, go home to her apartment. Not when it was most likely full of people wanting to celebrate her birthday.

Today, Sakura was officially twenty-one years of age. There were times were she felt such an age was not adequate for everything she had been through, at other times it just sounded quite ancient.

"Here's your sake, miss."

The bartender placed the cup in front of the medic, who scooped it up with both hands and carefully took a sip. The burning sensation that tickled down her throat was welcomed, and a smile appeared on her lips.

That most definitely hit the spot.

"We really ought to stop meeting like this."

Sakura didn't need to turn to her left to meet the masked face of the speaker, having already guessed by his deep and familiar voice.

"It's not my fault that you always seem to know where I am, Kakashi-sensei."

The masked man chuckled. "It would seem that way, wouldn't it?"

Sakura didn't reply, too engrossed in the contents of her cup. Within the previous few weeks, Kakashi had always somehow managed to come across her whenever she was at a nearby pub or local bar. She couldn't explain how, or if it was intentional or not, but she'd gradually realized just how comforting his companionship was. Drinking alone was never fun.

"So what brings you here tonight, Sakura?"

She tore her viridian eyes from her drink to meet the sole-eyed gaze of her former teacher, who was looking at her intently with his obsidian orb.

"I needed to let off a little steam."

Behind his mask, Kakashi frowned. It was becoming almost ritual, that he would find her drowning her sorrows with alcohol and then she would lament to him, usually about how draining she was finding it to the plan the wedding alone, and that Sasuke was practically absent all the time.

"You seem to do that a lot lately."

His words made Sakura the corners of Sakura's lips turn downwards, her eyes narrowing slightly with annoyance. Kakashi sighed and explained himself.

"I'm just worried. You never were much of a drinker, and yet I find you here most nights of the week. Must be my old age finally kicking in."

She did not chuckle at his last comment as he had intended, instead turning her eyes to the cup that sat before her on the counter. As much as she hated to admit it, Kakashi had a point. Alcohol was never really something she'd had any interest in, especially with the medical knowledge she had about how destructive it could be to your body. And yet somehow, here she was, drinking sake like it was water, knowing it had only been two days since she'd been here last.

Sakura slumped in her seat, her head beginning to feel incredibly heavy and the need to sleep kicking in. Kakashi noticed the sudden change in her demeanour and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"I'll walk you home."

She laughed, bitterly so as her hand grasped the sake cup.

"Can't go home. Not tonight, anyway." she replied, swirling the cup's contents.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Sakura gave a loud sigh before she explained. "It's my birthday today."

Surprise appearing in his visible features, Kakashi inwardly scolded himself for not realizing. Truthfully, he didn't know all that much about the finer details of his former squad - favourite colours were unknown, birthdays were a complete and utter mystery. It wasn't that he cared, he just never found himself overly bothered to learn about such things.

"So why are you drinking alone? Shouldn't you be with your friends?" he inquired, finding himself incredibly curious.

Sakura sighed and brushed a hand through her petal tresses, which still maintained a kink from the high ponytail she had worn it in all day whist working. The movement did not miss Kakashi's eye, underneath his mask he was trying to hide the fact that even a simple gesture had him thinking about very forbidden scenarios that included the pinkette and himself with no clothes on.

"Ino planned a surprise birthday party for me at my apartment. It didn't turn out to be much of a surprise when you're friends with the two biggest blabber-mouthed blondes in the whole village. After work I just…"

She paused momentarily, taking the opportunity to take a sip of her drink.

"…couldn't deal with the idea of partying away and having everyone crowd me. I'm exhausted and the last thing I wanted to do was go home and have everyone talking at me whilst they mess up my home."

With that, Sakura downed the remainder of her sake, glancing into the cup as if she were trying to will it to refill.

"You can stay the night at my place."

As soon as the words escaped his lips, Kakashi instantly regretted them. It had only been a friendly offer, something better than Sakura spending the wee hours of the morning drunk in the pub or wasting money for a room at the inn. Instead, as soon as his mind registered the offer, it had considered something entirely different.

Sakura turned to him with wide eyes, her eyebrows lifted and her mouth slightly agape in shock.

"I mean, you can take the bed, I'll take the couch." Kakashi quickly added, a faint blush appearing on the upper part of his cheek which was not hidden by the mask.

Luckily for him, Sakura didn't notice. She was too busy trying to understand his offer. She'd never been to Kakashi's apartment. She had a rough idea of where he lived, but that had been about it. He'd never once invited her over there, nor her team-mates as far as she was aware.

As awkward as it would be, with him being her former sensei and fourteen years older than herself, the opportunity to get some rest was incredibly tempting. Not to the mention the fact that it could give her a sneak peek into his private life, and maybe give her some clues that could potentially lead to her figuring out just who Kakashi was.

He had always been the pestering enigma in the back of her mind, the chance to perhaps find out something personal about him was once in a lifetime.

"Sounds good to me." she answered, desperately trying to hide her enthusiasm.

Placing her money down on the counter, Sakura followed Kakashi out into the cool night air. She walked alongside him, making idle chatter as they ventured through the streets. He asked her about how things were going at the hospital, she explained that there were days where she loved working, and others when she abhorred it.

Eventually the reached a small apartment building, one that Sakura had never really noticed before. Kakashi lead her inside and up two flights of stairs before standing directly in front of the door. She watched in amazement as his hands flew into seals at an incredible pace, something she had witnessed many times over the year yet it never got less impressive. When Kakashi's hands dropped back to his sides, the door opened and he gestured for Sakura to walk inside, trailing in after her.

Compared to Kakashi's place, Sakura's small apartment was a palace. It was practically one room, with a small kitchenette and bathroom. It reminded her of Naruto's old home, with less dust and personal effects.

In fact, looking around, the entire room was incredibly bare. Save for a few stacks of books on the nearby bookshelf and two framed pictures on the nearby desk, there was nothing else to imply that this was someone's home.

Sakura felt an incredibly overwhelming amount of sadness stream through her body, something she couldn't explain, let alone make any sense of. She turned to look at Kakashi, but he was facing away from her, filling up a small kettle with water from the sink.

"Tea?" he called out to her without looking up.

"Yes please." she replied, moving to sit on the small lounge that sat in the corner of the room,

Looking at it, she frowned. Kakashi had offered to sleep on the couch, but there was no way he would be able to fit comfortably on it. Nor could Sakura, and she was a great deal shorter than the older man. She would have to make alternate arrangements, as a medic she couldn't allow him to sleep on the tiny couch and possibly do some damage to his body.

Kakashi set the kettle on the small stove, lighting it. As he waited for it to boil, he retrieved two mugs and set them down on the counter before making his way over to Sakura on the small couch and taking a seat beside her.

"I apologize for the state of the place. I don't entertain guests very often."

Sakura took another glance around the room.

"No need to apologize, it's fine. And I appreciate it. I mean, I can't go home. Chances are they will be partying until morning whether or not I actually show up." she sighed.

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed together. He couldn't quite understand why Sakura didn't want to be around her friends on her birthday. Truthfully, he felt the same way when his own rolled around, usually shutting himself off from the outside world and distracting Gai from nagging him about throwing some kind of gathering.

He hated being reminded just how much older he was getting.

Kakashi cocked his head to the side. "What about your fiancé? Isn't he there too?"

Sakura gave a snort.

"Sasuke-kun hates being around big groups of others. Besides, he already gave me my birthday present." she explained, and Kakashi could have sworn that there was bitterness in her tone.

She turned to face Kakashi directly, indicating the silver necklace that hung from her neck, a tear-drop diamond pendant suspended just above her cleavage. The silver-haired man did his best to focus his eye on the pendant and not the deep plunge between her breasts which were tempting him with all sort of thoughts and fantasies that began to appear in his mind.

Luckily, the kettle began to screech, signalling that the water was boiled. He tore his gaze away from Sakura briefly as he looked at the kettle with gratefulness, thankful that it had provided the distraction he had needed at that moment.

He stood up and headed over to the kitchenette to prepare the drinks, returning only a few moments later, setting down a mug in front of Sakura which she happily accepted. He took a sip of his own drink through his mask, a habit he'd picked up when around others. It just seemed easier than constantly pulling the material up and down every time he wanted a drink.

His eye returned to gaze at the necklace.

"That's a very extravagant piece of jewellery. I assume things between you have improved?" he continued on the conversation.

Sakura frowned, causing Kakashi to mirror this behind his mask. It was very rare these days to see a smile on the pinkette's face. In her youth, she always seemed to be incredibly optimistic, save for the emotional times when her sadness would get the better of her. But even then, Sakura's bouts of sorrow never lasted that long, and it wouldn't take too long for her to get back on her feet and the positive grin would appear on her lips once more.

"I'm guessing that's a negative then."

Furrowing her eyebrows together, Sakura turned her viridian eyes to the ground.

"I keep hoping things will improve, that something will happen and I will know where our relationship stands. But so far, I've got nothing. I mean, except for the fact that we're engaged, we have no relationship. There is no substance. I'm organizing our wedding and he hands me the money to pay for it."

Her hand clasped around the pendant as she continued.

"He didn't even give this to me personally. It was a messenger that he sent to my place. There was no card, the only reason I know that Sasuke-kun gave this to me was because I asked the messenger."

It seemed that very time Kakashi saw her, Sakura was always upset. Her cheerfulness was rare and no matter how hard he tried to get her out of her slump, it was only momentary before something else happened and she reverted to being upset again.

It was always about Sasuke.

For nine years, the source of so much of her sorrow was Sasuke.

"Then perhaps you should rethink about the marriage?"

It was an offhanded suggestion, but the result was not what Kakashi had expected.

Sakura stood up from the couch, standing directly in front of her former sensei with narrowed eyes that had turned into a dark emerald green. She'd been in an irritable mood all day, and Kakashi's words had been the tipping point and sent her over the edge.

"How could you suggest such a thing Kakashi-sensei? You of all people should know everything I have done to get to this point, how hard I have fought for Sasuke-kun to even notice me. And now here I am, I am going to become his wife and have all my greatest dreams realized and you think you can sit there and suggest that I call the whole thing off?"

The idea of cancelling the engagement was ludicrous. She hadn't come this far to have her deepest desires finally on her hand in the form of a diamond ring, only to throw it all away at the first sign of trouble. Yes, Sasuke's constant neglect through the entire progress was incredibly frustrating, but she still had hope that sooner or later, he would come around and realize just how lucky he was to have a woman like Sakura by his side, who had continued to love him through everything, no matter what.

Kakashi blinked at her, obviously stunned by her sudden outburst. He hadn't recommended that she cancel the wedding entirely, just that perhaps the best thing for Sakura to do was postpone it until she found some solid ground with Sasuke.

Sensing that her pent-up vexation had been released, Kakashi made sure to tread carefully around her from now on.

She resumed her seat on the couch, her head hung low.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I just get so moody these days and I don't know why. I just…sometimes I wish things could go back to the way they were. When we were a team, and we were all so close. I hardly see you guys anymore, we never get missions together and I just feel like we're drifting apart."

Her voice was barely audible, almost like that of a whisper.

"I'm sorry that you have to put up with my whining all the time, guess no matter how old I get or how strong I become, at the end of the day I'm still silly Haruno Sakura, overemotional and obsessed with Sasuke-kun."

Kakashi laid a tentative hand on her back in comfort, but she gave no reaction. The physical contact, the warmth emitting from his hand was intoxicating, oddly so. Sakura closed her eyes, focusing on the long fingers that were splayed across her small back, and perhaps what other things they could do-

Sakura jolted suddenly, the hand disappearing instantly. Her eyes were open wide with mortification at the rogue consideration of something sexual occurring with the man sitting beside her. The man who was fourteen years older than herself, read perverted novels in broad daylight and never showed up on time. The man who had been her sensei since she was twelve.

"Are you alright?" he asked concernedly, his baritone voice rumbling near her ear.

For some unexplainable reason, Sakura suddenly felt nervous. Her hands were shaking slightly and it felt like a cornucopia of flying creatures had erupted in her stomach. But why? She'd known Kakashi for nine years now, and he'd never caused her to feel such a way before.

She picked up her mug of tea and quickly gulped from it, trying to calm herself down and at the same time keep her face blank, unaware that Kakashi was watching her intently with a bemused expression on his face.

"We should probably get to bed." Sakura commented when the last of her tea had drunk, standing up and taking the empty mug over to the kitchenette.

Once it had been rinsed and set aside to properly wash the next day, she moved over to the bed, sitting down on it and shrugging her arms out of her jacket. Kakashi finished his own tea and then proceeded to head to the kitchenette to rinse it before moving over to Sakura.

"The sheets have been recently washed, and it should be relatively warm. Unfortunately, I don't own any extra blankets." he informed her sheepishly.

Sakura gave him her best smile, despite the fact that she was still inwardly panicking inside about the strange thought she'd had earlier.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

His visible eye crinkled with what she knew to be a hidden smile beneath his mask, and he walked over to the couch, taking off his gloves, flak-jacket and lastly, his hitai-ate. He then moved into the bathroom and disappeared for a few minutes, returning with a different shirt on - this one was sleeveless and clung to his body.

And what a body it was.

Sakura had never seen Kakashi in so little clothes, and couldn't help but admit that the man was incredibly fit. The muscles which were now displayed across his chest and back were almost mesmerizing, and his arms were something of masculine beauty.

Catching herself staring, Sakura's cheeks flushed warm and she quickly averted her gaze, concentrating instead on getting herself prepared to sleep and the fact that she was engaged. To Uchiha Sasuke, who was the king of attractiveness. For her to be looking at anyone else was wrong.

For her to be looking at her former sensei was especially wrong.

Kakashi hadn't noticed the pinkette's prolonged gaze as he got ready for bed, he was currently too busy trying to figure out just how on earth he was going to be able to sleep on his small couch. He obviously hadn't thought it through enough when he'd suggested that Sakura stay at his place, and now he was paying for it dearly.

"Kakashi-sensei, there's no way you can sleep on that. There's easily enough space in the bed for both of us." Sakura spoke up, and he turned around to see that she had already clamoured into the bed, the sheets covering her up to her nose.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

She chuckled. "It's fine. Besides, it's not like there's gonna be any funny business. You're my sensei after all."

_Former_, Kakashi mentally reminded her in his head, but didn't voice this aloud. His brain was already running rampant in his mind, unhappy that she had reminded him of the true nature of their relationship and that it could and would never change, yet pleased that she had addressed this issue and that perhaps it would stop him from having such prohibited thoughts about her.

Wordlessly, he turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness save for the moonlight that filtered in through the window. He moved to the other side of the bed and crawled in, making sure to keep as much distance between himself and Sakura.

"Night, Kakashi-sensei."

"Happy birthday, Sakura."

The pinkette rolled over so she was no longer facing him, although his presence was obvious, she could smell his musky aroma and feel the heat that radiated from his body beside her own. Admittedly, she'd never slept in the same bed as a man. She'd camped out of course, but always had her own sleeping bag.

Her head was swimming, most of all with severe confusion over her earlier thoughts about Kakashi. She'd never really looked at him in any other way besides as her teacher, the fact that he was a good-looking bachelor had always seemed to skip her mind. Yet now, it seemed, she could understand what all the hype was about.

Her sexual fantasies had only ever contained a certain raven-haired male, never anyone else. Yet for a fleeting moment, the man's hair had flashed to silver.

It terrified her, and she couldn't fathom why.

Ino had told her previously that she'd had a small crush on her own sensei, Asuma, before he had died. It would never have amounted to anything and she knew this, she had just found him to be incredibly handsome. Sakura hadn't been able to understand it at the time. Her own sensei was eccentric, perplexing, ancient and she had no idea what actually lay behind the infernal mask that covered his features.

From what she'd heard from others, Kakashi was an incredibly handsome man. But until she saw his face herself, their words meant nothing. She'd vowed that one day, she'd get the mask off, and see just what the hype really was.

For now, she simply had to concentrate on Sasuke and their upcoming wedding. No matter what silly and strange thoughts she had about Kakashi, they didn't matter. She was going to be Sasuke's wife, the woman he would be spending the rest of his life with.

With that thought, Sakura succumbed to sleep, unaware of how restless her bedfellow had become.

Kakashi was struggling to keep his thoughts clean, lying on his back with his arms rigid on each side. Slumber would not come easy to him, not when he was lying next to the girl who had plagued his dirty fantasies for quite some time, ever since the night he had first seen her out drinking, dolled up to the nines and looking like a fully-developed woman.

Hearing Sakura beginning to snore lightly beside him, he decided for his sanity to get some fresh air. Hopping out of bed quietly so it did not wake the pinkette, he slipped on his shoes and jacket and headed out the open window.

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_1. I had so many issues with this chapter. To the point where I got halfway through and then rewrote it entirely. I know it's not great but the next chapter should make up for it._

_2. There's obviously no love yet or even feelings, Kakashi has just noticed how attractive Sakura is and had some naughty thoughts, and now she's also had the fleeting thought about how hot her sensei is. She'd obviously freaked out by this, and we will delve deeper into that next time._

_3. Hot stuff coming up. Keep an eye out for it._


	4. Chapter 4

_Finally updating, it's been too long and I've been super slack, but between real life being a pain in my backside and writing Unbroken, this story gets put on the backburner. Luckily I'm planning on it being a rather short story, roughly eleven chapters, but it should be good._

_Prepare your fans and other forms of cooling, this chapter is somewhat heated (seems to be the theme of my KakaSaku stories at the moment, ha!)._

_Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved! :)_

CHAPTER FOUR

"This mission is so lame!"

The boisterous blonde stuck out his lower lip and folded his arms across his chest, glancing over at their silver-haired leader, who seemed to busy reading his small emerald book to answer. To his left, the raven-haired Uchiha rolled his eyes, but remained quiet.

"We should be taking on hoards of bad guys, not dressing up to go to some fancy party and find some stupid necklace." Naruto continued, furrowing his eyebrows together.

His gaze focused solely on the written words before him, Kakashi narrowed his eyes. This was the best mission he could get on such short notice, his unknown birthday present to Sakura after she had revealed her desire to spend time with the old team. Knowing she was to be married soon, and that Sasuke would most likely want to rebuild his clan as soon as possible with children, this would be probably end up being one of Sakura's last missions.

"Naruto, it's not a stupid necklace, it's a priceless heirloom." the pinkette hidden behind the dressing room curtain quipped back, irritation evident in her tone.

It was embarrassing enough that she was currently trying on dresses that were definitely not her style and very elegant without having to hear Naruto constantly complain loudly in the small clothes shop. He, Sasuke and Kakashi had already tried on and purchased their suits for the evening, formal wear to blend in to the party they would be infiltrating that evening.

After waking up in Kakashi's apartment the day after her birthday to find that the silver-haired Jōnin was nowhere to be found, Sakura had quickly gotten herself dressed, made the bed and quickly left, leaving him a note stating her gratitude and letting him know that she had returned home. That afternoon, a messenger had arrived at her door, informing the pinkette that Team Seven had a mission scheduled the next day.

She had found it strange at first, it had been quite some time since they had been placed on a mission together, the original team. Apparently Sai was on a solo mission at the time, explaining his absence. But hearing the constant back and forth of insults between Naruto and Sasuke had been worth it, reminiscent of their younger years when they were all mere genin.

Yes, the mission was not of a higher rank that she was accustomed to these days, but even higher-level shinobi had to complete menial tasks at times. Their orders were simple - they were to infiltrate the formal party of Yamauchi Daisuke, masquerading themselves as guests. With the man distracted with his hosting duties, they were to sneak away and search through the house in search of a pure gold and diamond necklace, the much treasured possession of a nearby Feudal Lord. Apparently, the jewellery had been passed down through the family for centuries, and had recently gone missing when Daisuke had visited, making him the prime suspect.

"How do I look?" Sakura exclaimed, pulling back the curtain and stepping out.

Naruto's jaw dropped instantly, his mouth agape. Sasuke's eyes appeared to have widened ever so slightly, but she couldn't be sure. Kakashi hadn't even seemed to notice, his sole obsidian eye glued to his perverted paperback.

"Woah Sakura-chan, you look amazing!" Naruto grinned at her, causing Sasuke to shoot him a dark glare.

Sakura looked down at her attire, unsure if she really looked as good as the sunshine-haired boy had claimed. The dress was definitely not her style, something that Ino would prefer much more. It was emerald green in colour, the satin-like material hugging her curves, with one bejewelled strap over her left shoulder. Reaching her ankles, it was lengthy at least, but contained one long slit up the right side that exposed her lower thigh when she walked.

Kakashi couldn't bring himself to look at her. Especially not after hearing the exclamation from Naruto. Being around the pinkette was hard enough on it's own without her looking stunning, his self-control would slip and then there would be trouble. The perverted thoughts about his former student appeared more frequently in his mind, despite his constant attempts at ignoring them.

His problem was, that like most younger men, he'd come to the realization that Haruno Sakura had evolved into a beautiful young woman. It was going to become the death of him, he'd become aware of this fact early on. He knew nothing would ever occur between them, he was fourteen years her senior and she was engaged, in a few months she would officially become Sasuke's wife and future mother of his children.

Distractions were very welcome, and so he once again buried his masked nose in his book.

Realizing she was not going to receive any kind of reaction from Kakashi, Sakura moved over to a nearby mirror. Looking over her reflection, Sakura couldn't help but find herself pleased with the result. Whilst a part of her mind told her she looked like a child wearing an adult's clothing, she noticed that it actually had made her appear older than her twenty-one years.

She looked like a lady.

Deciding that it was definitely the dress she would wear that night, Sakura disappeared into the dressing room once more and changed into her regular attire. Once done, she folded the dress over her arm and headed over to the store-owner, quickly paying for it before she indicated for the boys to leave the shop with her and return to the nearby inn.

* * *

Later on, they gathered in Sakura's room, one she was happily sharing with no-one, whilst the other three had been forced into one room together. Sometimes, it really did pay to be the only girl in a team.

She had taken a seat next to Sasuke on the bed, but he made no sign of acknowledgement. He'd barely said two words to her since they had left Konoha, making her feel somewhat disappointed and a little bit rejected. The pinkette was aware that Sasuke was the stoic and broody kind, but the amount of silence she received from the man she was due to marry in a few months time was worrying.

"Once we arrive at Daisuke's estate, we will be splitting into two teams. Naruto, Sasuke, you two will be posing as wealthy brothers, Noboru and Saburo. If anyone asks, you've recently come into money due to a lucky occurrence at striking oil. When you get the chance, you are to sneak away from the party and search in the west wing of the manor for the necklace." Kakashi begun, pacing back and forth across the floorboards.

"Aw, why do I have to be paired with Sasuke? Why can't I be with Sakura-chan?" Naruto whined, earning himself three glares.

"I will be posing as a bachelor from a prestigious and rich family, Katsuo. Sakura will be acting as my latest conquest, Sayuri. We will be exploring the east wing." the older man answered calmly.

Naruto, who had been sitting on the floor, jumped to his feet.

"That's not fair!"

"If anyone should be paired with Sakura, it should be me." Sasuke suddenly spoke up beside the pinkette, causing her eyebrows to rise in surprise.

"After all, if she's to be posing as someone's girlfriend, it will be more believable, as she is my fiancée." he continued.

Sakura returned to reality. How naïve she'd been, thinking that Sasuke wanted to be partnered with her on this mission so he could keep her close.

Kakashi sighed.

He knew that Naruto and Sasuke would have an issue with the assigned pairs, but the fact was, he worked much better with Sakura, as did the two boys when they were together. Of course, they wouldn't accept that excuse.

"Men of my age who attend these kinds of social events never show up alone. They arrive with the most beautiful women they know on their arm, who are usually half their age. Our stories would not be as believable otherwise, and we need to blend in with these people so we will not be compromised on this mission."

As much as Sakura hated to say it, Kakashi had a point.

Still, she found it nerve-wracking, knowing she would be by his side all evening. Ever since the night she had slept over at his place, and those fleeting forbidden thoughts that had rushed through her mind, she'd been on edge in his presence. She didn't know how to act around him anymore, afraid that something would happen and those thoughts would be discovered.

Truthfully, the petal-haired girl had thought about them since then, wondered what they had meant. Was it possible that she actually found her former sensei to be attractive? No, that was impossible, she only had eyes for Sasuke, and had no idea what actually lay beneath the dark blue material of Kakashi's mask. And yet, there was something there between she and Kakashi, something that had arisen in recent times, something she couldn't quite explain.

But now was not the time to dwell on such things.

Soon, the team were getting themselves ready, the boys already dressed in their suits as Sakura quickly applied some make-up to enhance her features. She was surprised at how well they all cleaned up, and couldn't help but admit that they all looked rather handsome.

Naruto's suit was a dark grey, and he'd paired it with a bright orange shirt and a black tie. Sasuke's suit was a much lighter colour, the jacket left unbuttoned with a black shirt underneath. Kakashi's suit was black, matched with a crisp white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, a skin-tight black top underneath that was also attached to a mask, which he was adamant on wearing. They all wore henges to alter their features slightly, Naruto and Sasuke's hair were now matching shades of chocolate brown, the former blonde's whisker-marks gone from his cheeks. Kakashi's silver locks were now a deep shade of midnight, and he wore an eye patch over his Sharingan.

Sakura detested wearing a henge to disguise her bubblegum tresses, but she was well aware that her hair was very recognizable. So for tonight, she was a strawberry-blonde, refusing to go any hue that was vastly different from her normal colour. It seemed to work well the emerald green dress, which was surprisingly comfortable and fit her like a second skin.

On her feet were plain black pumps, the same ones she had borrowed from Ino the night she had tried, and failed miserably, to seduce her fiancé. They were the only heels she felt comfortable in, and could walk easily in without stumbling around everywhere.

She stepped out of the bathroom, having finished her hair, which was set in waves and swept over her right shoulder. She couldn't help but notice the looks she was granted when she appeared in the boys' view; Naruto's mouth was once again agape, and Sasuke's eyes lingered on her form much longer than usual.

"So, should we get going?" she spoke up in an attempt to get Kakashi's attention.

He looked over at her with his visible eye for a second before his gaze was averted once more.

Sakura looked amazing, and it painfully reminded him of his age and just how old he actually was. She looked so regal in her formal dress, he could have sworn it was only yesterday that she was a silly twelve-year old girl, yet she stood before him as a mature twenty-one-year old woman.

A woman who was off-limits.

"Naruto, you have your radio in place?" he addressed the blonde, ignoring his thoughts once more.

The sunshine-haired boy tapped his left ear.

"Right here." Naruto replied, grinning.

"If anything goes wrong, or if we find the necklace, we are to contact one another immediately. The rendezvous point is at the front gate. Remember each other's names and your own, as well as your back stories. Don't let yourselves become too carried away with the other guests and their conversations. The sooner we find this heirloom, the quicker we can get out of there. Understood?"

Sakura and Naruto silently nodded, Sasuke gave a grunt which they all knew to be his way of saying 'yes'.

"Alright, let's head out."

* * *

An hour later, Sakura was walking around the extravagant ballroom, her hand gripping Kakashi's elbow as he led her around the party guests. Everyone was so eloquently dressed, and she feared that they stood out like a sore thumb, but she could see the looks given by passer-bys that somehow seemed to approve.

They had slipped into the party easily, flashing imitation invitations that had been provided for them by Tsunade when handed the mission. Naruto and Sasuke had headed inside the great manor first, followed a few minutes later by Kakashi and Sakura. She'd been anxious to get this mission over with, especially as she had been paired with Kakashi and was unsure of how to act around him.

Somehow, the dynamic between them had shifted. She had a vague idea that it was due to her sleeping over at her former sensei's house, in his bed; something that students did not do. She hadn't addressed it however, and neither had he, there had not been an appropriate time to do so. For now, she followed his lead, smiling and nodding to other guests as they walked by and introducing herself by a fake name.

Eventually they came across the man who owned the house, and their suspect, Yamauchi Daisuke. Sakura had spotted the disguised Naruto chatting to him earlier as Sasuke ignored the conversation and scanned the room, his eyes honing in on his fiancée a number of times. This hadn't gone unnoticed by Kakashi, who had made a mental note to reprimand him for doing so later.

"Yamauchi-san?" Kakashi spoke up, causing the man to turn around, a beaming smile on his aged face.

Yamauchi Daisuke was evidently wealthy, everything about it screamed that fact, from the expensive material that his suit was made from, to the pure gold rings that adorned his fingers. He was older than Kakashi, the receding hair-line that was slowly turning grey was a dead give-away. Sakura guessed that he was roughly in his fifties.

"Please, call me Daisuke." he chuckled, looking to Sakura, his gaze lingering much longer than she felt appropriate.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on such a successful party." Kakashi replied, polite as ever, although part of him wanted to rip out his eyeballs for staring at his companion a little too long.

"Why thank you, uh…"

"You may call me Katsuo, and this is my lovely friend, Sayuri." he explained, indicating to Sakura.

She bowed her head slightly.

"What a _lovely_ friend you have there indeed." Daisuke commented, his grin widening lecherously.

Despite the fact that she felt as if her skin was crawling, Sakura let out a high-pitched giggle, startling Kakashi beside her with how authentic is sounded.

"Oh you." she smiled sweetly, batting Daisuke playfully on the shoulder.

Kakashi could feel himself growing irritated, although he couldn't fathom why. Sakura was playing her part perfectly, why was it annoying him to such a degree? Whatever the reason, he knew it was time to leave the presence of the older man, they had a mission to complete.

"We won't bother you too much longer, perhaps we shall run into one another again later." he bowed slightly, steering Sakura away, who waggled her fingertips in a wave of goodbye at Daisuke.

Once they were out of earshot, Kakashi pulled her aside.

"Done flirting?"

She blanched.

"Are you kidding me? That guy gave me the mega creeps, I was just playing along, like you told me to."

She looked up at him, confusion clear in her pretty features. The guilt seeped through Kakashi's veins, he had no idea what was wrong with him tonight. But there was no time to dwell on it, they had other things to focus on. He'd already noticed that Sasuke and Naruto had disappeared from the party, having begun their search in the west wing.

Kakashi led Sakura to a nearby door that lead to the east wing, flanked by a guard. He wasn't surprised that the man had guards, most wealthy families did in order to protect their valuables.

"Just escorting my friend to the toilet, she's not feeling all that well. A little too much punch, I think." Kakashi explained, looking over to the woman on his arm who began to look rather sickly.

The guard said nothing, looking between the two, but eventually stepped aside and let them through the door.

Once they were through, Kakashi looked down the corridor which was lit by gold-coloured lanterns. There were a lot of rooms to look through, and not as much time.

His eye swept over Sakura.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, and gave him a small smile.

"We should start looking."

Beginning with the first door on the left, they began to search through the rooms. There were multiple bedrooms, a small library and several bathrooms, but they had no luck in locating the necklace. There had been a few false hopes, golden necklaces found in various jewellery boxes, but none that matched the description of the item they were looking for.

Eventually they entered what appeared to be a study of some sort, a sturdy desk in the middle surrounded by bookshelves and cabinets, ornaments and decorations lining each shelf and wall. Daisuke certainly loved to decorate, that was made rather obvious. The room was quite dark, but any kind of light would alert someone immediately. Sakura left the door ajar, using the illumination from the corridor to give them some light, and moved over to the desk. She knelt down and began to rifle through the desk drawers whilst Kakashi made a beeline to the bookshelves.

All the Sakura found however, was a cornucopia of scrolls. They filled each drawer to the brim, and as she pulled one out after another, she still did not see any sign of a necklace. Although her curiosity peaked at what could potentially be in those scrolls, she knew better than to snoop.

Dejected, she quickly stuffed the scrolls back where they had come from and returned to her feet, glancing over at Kakashi, who was still standing in front of the bookshelf, pulling books out one by one and flipping through the pages before returning them to the shelf.

Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"Honestly Kakashi-sensei, you can't pull yourself away from books for two minutes?" she reprimanded him, her voice low.

Kakashi turned around to face her, his face impassive.

"Books can sometimes be used as storage compartments." he explained to her simply. "And don't refer to me by my actual name."

Sakura scoffed. "It's not like anyone knows we are here."

As soon as the words left her lips, she instantly regretted them.

Voices could be heard approaching, rebounding off the corridor walls. She looked over at Kakashi in panic, then around the room for any way to escape. The nearby window was completely closed, any attempts at opening it would cause too much noise. There appeared to be no other doors, effectively meaning that they were stuck.

Kakashi had also realized there was no way for them to leave the room without being compromised, and instantly regretted what he was about to do. Wordlessly, he strode over to Sakura and pushed her against the desk with his own body, causing her to gasp with surprise.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed at him, looking mortified as her cheeks began to burn.

"Very soon, we are going to be found in this room. Instead of standing around and eventually getting caught red-handed, I'd rather them believe that Katsuo and Sayuri disappeared from the party to have a little one-on-one time." Kakashi murmured, his voice low, making Sakura shiver slightly.

"But… that won't work, it's too cliché!" she protested, horrified at what her sensei was proposing.

"It will work_ because_ it's too cliché. They honestly wouldn't expect highly trained ninjas to use it as a cover for their true intentions. They would be under the assumption that shinobi would use a jutsu to hide ourselves in the room, and we don't have time for that anyway."

Sakura went to reply, but the voices grew louder and closer.

Kakashi leaned forward to whisper in the pinkette's ear.

"Just follow my lead."

She nodded dumbly, her cheeks blazing. Kakashi gently lifted Sakura up onto the desk, nudging her legs apart so he could push himself up against her properly. The slit of her dress had risen with the emerald material that was bunched up against her waist, allowing the silver-haired man to run his hand along the outside of her thigh.

"Wrap your leg around me, and your arms around my shoulders." he insisted urgently.

Sakura complied, feeling incredibly awkward and nervous. Kakashi's hands were on her skin, his touch scorching with heat. Adrenaline began to pump through her system, her heart quickening it's pace as it beat louder in her chest. Her hold of Kakashi tightened as his face moved closer to her own, his breath fanning across her face. She could see a mixture of emotions in his sole eye; some panic, a touch of anxiety, a hint of regret, and something she clearly mistook as desire.

As Kakashi looked down at the fearful face of his companion, cursed at himself inwardly, he'd never thought he'd be in this position. His mind told him it was the best thing to do for the situation, and yet he couldn't help the self-loathing that came along with it. If Tsunade found out about this, if anyone found out about this, he'd never hear the end of it. Kissing a former student who was engaged was not something others looked kindly upon.

He was going to hell.

_But,_ he reminded himself, _there's no other choice._

With that thought, he pulled Sakura tighter to him, tugged down his mask and slanted his lips against hers.

Sakura didn't respond immediately, having gone into a state of shock at the fact that her sensei was kissing her. But his lips were soft, gentle, warm, and soon she found herself responding, tentatively at first until she found her courage and the kisses became deeper, harder, hotter.

Kakashi was trying to hold himself back, but as her movements grew bolder, those sweet and smooth lips pressing up against his own with a need he was positive she was not aware of, it was becoming more and more difficult to control his desire. The hand on her thigh moved upwards, finding her backside. Her skin was so soft and yet so warm, he was beginning to feel intoxicated by the pinkette.

As his hand gently squeezed her buttock, Sakura felt as if she was on fire. The heat ignited in the pit of her stomach and had begun to spread through her veins. She'd never felt anything like it, and could never have imagined such a feeling. She found herself kissing him harder, rougher, her breath coming out in ragged pants every time she stopped to take a breath.

"Who's there?"

A light shone into the room, breaking Sakura from her daze as she was rendered temporarily blind. For a moment, she'd completely forgotten why she was making-out with Kakashi. The man before her turned around to face the intruders, a sheepish smile on his lips.

Which she could see.

Her eyes widening, Sakura realized that she could see her sensei's face. Well, one side of it at least. The light coming from behind him illuminated his strong jaw and straight nose, but even with the mask on, she had been able to see their tell-tale outlines. No, she was transfixed by the curve of his lips, the dimple that had appeared in his bare cheek from the smile he wore.

No over-sized teeth, no tiny, thin lips.

Just absolute, handsome _perfection_.

"Ah, Katsuo, I see you couldn't keep your hands off your friend for very long."

Daisuke's voice reverberated around the room, bring Sakura back to her senses. Although she knew her face was hidden by Kakashi's silhouette, she couldn't help that blush that warmed her cheeks.

Kakashi chucked, causing his body to rumble slightly under her touch.

"Can you blame me?" he joked.

He was inwardly annoyed that Daisuke and the two guards that stood on either side of him had interrupted, despite the fact that he knew they would, as that was why he was kissing his former student. Without his mask hiding his facial features, he found it harder to play along and hide the irritation. Luckily, Daisuke didn't seem to notice, chuckling instead.

"Not at all, my friend. Don't let me interrupt, you two have fun now." he turned to leave the room, taking the guards with him.

_Too late for that_, Kakashi thought begrudgingly.

He turned back to face Sakura, who was staring at him with widened eyes, her mouth opened slightly with what appeared to be surprise. The bright light that had come from the lantern Daisuke had been holding was gone, the room returning to the dull illumination given from the hallway. In the dim light, Sakura looked just as beautiful, her features made more sultry by the dark shadows.

"Are you alright?" he asked her cautiously, raising an eyebrow.

Why was she staring at him like that?

It took Kakashi's brain a few seconds to realize that he was no longer wearing his mask, that his bare face was in full view of her.

Now that he was looking down at her, Sakura could see the full beautiful spectacle that was Kakashi's face. The rumours were true, he was a very attractive man. A few faded scars etched into his skin here and there, but it just added to his allure. She'd been so sure all these years that Sasuke was the most appealing man she'd ever seen, but it seemed at that moment, she'd been incredibly wrong.

Butterflies began to flutter in her abdomen, a heat stirring in her groin. Her breathing grew heavy, and she couldn't help but lick her lips as she looked into the sole obsidian orb of the man who was currently standing between her thighs.

She realised, with a thrill, that she wanted him.

And that was what caused her to pull Kakashi's face back to her own as her lips hungrily met his once more. To her excitement, there was no hesitation on the older man's behalf. He responded just as desperately, the kisses much needier and passionate than the ones they had shared before being interrupted.

Sakura's leg around his hip tightened, pulling him even closer to her, to the point where his crotch was practically rubbing against her own through the material of his pants and her dress. She'd never felt so turned on, and neither had he. There were no thoughts involved, no thinking at all, just pure instinct.

Underneath his lips, Sakura let out a small moan of pleasure which spurned Kakashi on even more. Coaxing her mouth to open gently, his tongue darted inside, meeting hers. He could sense the slight hesitation from her, and realized that she'd most likely never kissed someone in such a way before. But as he went to withdraw his fleshy organ, her own rubbed against it, slow at first until she became bolder, causing him to grip the back of her head with his hand as they explored one another's mouths fervently.

Sakura couldn't tell where she ended and Kakashi began. The air around them was warm, her skin becoming lined with a thin layer of moisture. He pushed against her again, this time she felt something hard pushing against her inner thigh, her mind taking a moment to register just what it could have been.

Kakashi was sporting quite a firm erection.

It exhilarated her, having the physical proof that he was turned on as much as she was. Her underpants had already become damp, the need to be touched down there intensifying with every second that passed. Sakura took one hand from the back of Kakashi's head and moved it to his, which was grasped firmly on her butt cheek, slowly manoeuvring it closer to her groin, her anticipation growing.

**_'Kakashi-sensei? Are you there? Over.'_**

As soon as the voice sounded in his ear, Kakashi realized just what was happening and immediately pulled away from Sakura, turning his face from her. Instantly he began inwardly scolding himself, how had he been such an idiot and allowed himself to become so carried away? Pulling his mask up over his face, he took a moment to collect himself before answering.

"I'm here Naruto. Have you and Sasuke had any luck? Over."

Sakura blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened. One minute Kakashi was pressed against her, his tongue dancing with hers in a tango of heat and desire as his hand inched closer to her crotch, the next he had removed himself from her hold in a flash as if he had been severely bitten. She couldn't understand why, until she heard him speaking and realized that Naruto had contacted him on his radio.

And then it all hit her.

Here she was, a twenty-one-year old virgin who had never been kissed before and was due to be married in a few short months, making out heavily with her sensei who had always been known to be a pervert and was a good fourteen years older than herself.

With horror, Sakura realized just how much she had liked it, the dull ache in her groin reminding her of just how carried away they had gotten. After Daisuke had left the room, there had been no reason to keep up the act, they should have waited a few minutes before continuing on their search for the necklace they were supposed to find. Instead, she'd found herself craving Kakashi's lips on hers once more.

What if Sasuke found out? He wouldn't want to marry her if he knew.

If Naruto hadn't contacted Kakashi, there was no telling of how far they would have gone, having already entered dangerous territory.

Sakura suddenly felt the need for a long, cold shower.

**_'We found the necklace, we're heading to the rendezvous point now. Over.'_**

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair.

"We will see you shortly. Over."

The connection ended, Kakashi inhaling deeply before allowing himself to look over at his companion. Her dress was slightly lopsided, the material wrinkled around her waist. Her strawberry-blonde henged hair was dishevelled, random strands sticking out in all different directions. The most tell-tale sign of what had occured was her pink lips, swollen from all the heated kisses they had exchanged.

He noted that her green eyes were focused on the floor, she was purposely avoiding her gaze, unable to look at him.

"We should go, the boys found the necklace." he informed her, moving over to the door.

"What happens now?" Sakura asked meekly from behind him, her voice soft.

He sighed.

"We forget it ever happened."

Sakura seemed to accept that answer as she hopped off the desk, straightening out her dress before running her hands through her disguised locks in an attempt to brush away those fly-away strands. She felt a little unbalanced, her legs feeling somewhat weak and jittery, but she followed behind Kakashi quickly, wanting to leave the room as soon as possible and get what had happened out of her thoughts.

Soon enough, they were outside the manor, Naruto and Sasuke waiting by the front gate. Naruto waved to them enthusiastically, his companion however could only stare with dark eyes. Something had happened between Kakashi and Sakura, there was a tension around them that had not been there previously, and he hadn't missed the way his fiancée was avoiding looking at their sensei. She looked a little rougher than he remembered, not as defined as earlier.

"What took you guys so long? Sakura-chan, your cheeks are the same colour as your hair!" Naruto commented obnoxiously, causing the girl to blush even more.

"We should get out of here, and get back to the inn." Kakashi urged, ignoring the two as he strode past Sasuke, who could only watch him with suspicion.

What had happened whilst they had been gone?

He was determined to find out.

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_**1.**__ I had so much trouble with this chapter. It took me three days to write. I would write a few pages, and then end up going back later and scrapping it before trying again. I guess I was trying to make this kissing scene different from the one in Unbroken, I didn't want to repeat myself._

_**2.**__ Things might seem like they're moving along at a quicker pace, but it's part of the story. Kakashi's been struggling with his desires for Sakura for weeks, and she's been craving some kind of affection for years, and it came in the form of her sexy sensei. So of course she got carried away. I know I would._

_**3.**__ Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to be updated. I know it's not as popular or as loved as Unbroken, but the two really shouldn't be compared to one another. Unbroken is my epic, this is my side project, a small and short story. And I love it, despite how hard it is to write._

_Please let me know what you think, feedback is incredibly helpful and very much appreciated! :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Whoo, update! Took my time with this one as there isn't really a deadline for each chapter, and I've been focusing on this other project of mine which most of you know as 'Unbroken'. Doesn't mean I don't plan on abandoning this story, just that it's going to be sporadically updated here and there._

_Changed the cover picture, as much as I loved the original one, I thought it would be better suited for Unbroken, and the current one for this story actually shows Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi, signifying the love triangle that is growing within these chapters. _

_Hopefully the next update won't take as long, fingers crossed._

_Also a quick warning - if you thought the last chapter was hot, you ain't seen nothing yet. Reader discretion is advised, anyone under the age of eighteen be warned._

_Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved. :)_

CHAPTER FIVE

"Dinner is ready!"

Sakura's face lit up with Ino's announcement as she and her companions left the living room and heading to the dining room of the blonde's rather lush apartment. It was their monthly girl's night, when Sakura, Ino, Hinata and Tenten would get together, have dinner and catch up with one another; a tradition they'd kept up for the past three years.

They usually alternated between going to Ino's and Sakura's respective apartments, as Tenten was still living with her mother and Hinata wasn't allowed to hold such gatherings at the Hyūga compound. Tonight was Ino's night to host, which Sakura was grateful for; the blonde was a much better cook than herself and she wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to fulfil hostess duties to capacity.

She'd been back from Team Seven's mission for an entire week, and had done everything possible to distract herself since. The journey home had been the most awkward she'd ever experienced, the underlying tension between herself and Kakashi almost too much to bear. Sasuke seemed to have noticed that something was amiss; she couldn't recall him ever sending so many glances in her direction in such a short amount of time, his face always unreadable. Luckily, Naruto had been there to help them through the awkwardness, exclaiming nonsense with his usual charm - the perfect distraction.

There had been a few times when Naruto had said something that caught her attention, and for a moment, she'd completely forget everything that had happened in the study. However, it never lasted long.

"You alright, Forehead?" Ino spoke to her as she placed the dishes on the table, slender eyebrows knitting together with what appeared to be worry.

Broken from her thoughts, Sakura managed a smile. "I'm fine."

"Must be all this wedding hype." Tenten remarked as she reached forward and carefully plucked a sesame dumpling from it's dish.

"Are y-you excited, Sakura?" Hinata asked, her stammer not as pronounced as it had once been in their youth.

"Honestly, I just want it to be over and done." the pinkette admitted, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips.

Once she was officially married to Sasuke, her thoughts would be eased. Or at least, that's what she was hoping for. She loved the Uchiha, had for many years despite everything that had occurred between and around them. Becoming his wife would give her life the stability it needed, she would be able to concentrate on her husband and never give in to her rogue thoughts ever again. With any luck, they would disappear altogether.

No matter how hard she had tried, Sakura couldn't get the memories of Kakashi out of her head. She found her lips craving to be pressed against his, his hand running up her thigh, the feeling of his body pressed up against hers-

"I'm s-sure it will be w-wonderful." Hinata exclaimed kindly to the pinkette, who was glad for the interruption from her forbidden thoughts.

"What about you and Naruto?" Ino inquired the shy beauty, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Sakura found herself grateful for the change of topic.

Hinata's pale cheeks immediately flushed as a smile played on her lips. "All is g-going well, a-although I wish I didn't h-have to keep it a s-secret from my father."

Sakura frowned. "Why do you have to keep it from him? Everyone knows how much Naruto has done for the village, the hero he has become. Surely your father should no longer have a problem with him?"

"It's n-not a problem with Naruto-kun." Hinata sighed, her voice growing softer. "After I rejected that w-wedding proposal, he's going to be m-more judgemental with who I d-date."

Three pairs of eyes; cerulean, caramel and viridian, widened simultaneously.

"You never told us about a wedding proposal!" Ino instantly scolded the Hyūga heiress, who's cheeks turned crimson.

"I d-didn't think i-it was i-important!" Hinata stammered back, suddenly looking terribly guilty.

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Neji never said anything to me about it, who was the unlucky guy?"

Hinata shook her head defiantly. "It d-doesn't m-matter."

"Of course it does! We're your best friends Hinata, we don't keep secrets from one another, especially not about something like this." Ino retorted.

The heiress took in a deep breath before speaking again.

"It w-was Sasuke-kun."

Sakura felt her jaw drop, Tenten and Ino looking over to her, equally as shocked.

"He proposed to you?" Ino asked Hinata incredulously, turning her eyes back to her.

"It was b-before he a-asked Sakura, he c-came to m-my father, but I s-said no. I c-couldn't marry him, not w-when Sakura loves h-him, and I l-love Naruto." she explained meekly, hiding her face in her hands.

Sakura fell silent, trying to absorb the information. Her ire began to grow quickly, though not towards her friend; she was enraged that her fiancé had lulled her into a safe sense of security, that she had been his first choice - his only choice. Hurt swept through her system, mixed with the fury, as tears began to sting at the corners of her eyes.

Abruptly she rose from her chair, trying to control herself and keep a calm demeanour.

"I'm sorry girls, but I just remembered I need to be somewhere." Sakura spoke through clenched teeth, her voice monotone as she attempted to steady it.

Before her friends could protest, Sakura turned around, grabbed her coat and hastily disappeared through the front door. Looking at one another, and the now overemotional Hinata who was sobbing that she shouldn't have said anything, Tenten and Ino knew better than to follow their petal-haired friend.

After all, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

* * *

A knock rapped at the door, loud and impatient, interrupting Sasuke as he threw the last kunai from his hand, causing it to curve left, ricocheting off the corner of it's intended target and crashing into the nearby vase instead.

Letting out a low growl of annoyance, Sasuke stalked through the house to the front door, the knocking continuing, growing louder. He turned the handle and swung it open, dark eyes narrowed with an irritated scowl on his lips.

If he was surprised to see Sakura standing at his doorstep appearing to be absolutely livid, he made no indication. Instead, one eyebrow arched up with mild curiosity.

"Sakura." he regarded her.

Her green orbs grew darker as she pressed her lips together.

"You and I need to talk." she ground out, her voice dangerously low.

"Couldn't this wait until morning?" he inquired, clearly not in the mood to converse, but Sakura didn't care.

This was going to get sorted out, right now.

"I heard…I heard that you originally proposed to Hinata before you asked me to marry you. Is that true?"

Sasuke's face remained impassive.

"That would be correct." he replied curtly.

The sting attached to those words hurt Sakura deeply, but she didn't let it show on her features. The tears that stung her eyes remained unshed, the worst thing she could do in this situation was allow him to see how much he had hurt her. She didn't want to give him that satisfaction.

"Do you love her?" the pinkette asked next, straining to keep her voice from wavering.

Sasuke scoffed. "Of course not. When I decided to rebuild my clan, marrying into the Hyūga clan was the best option, as they have the strongest bloodline in Konoha, and are closely related to the Uchiha. The clan leader was enthusiastic about the prospect, but Hinata refused, and he could not change her mind."

Sakura's hands clenched into fists. "What about me? Why did you ask me?"

"There are no other clans in which I found myself interested. I knew of your feelings for me, and that you have carried them throughout the years. I didn't want a simpering wife who would annoy me to no end. I find you tolerable; you know me better than most. You were therefore the best candidate." he explain, folding his arms across his chest.

"The best candidate after Hinata." Sakura seethed, her control over her emotions slipping. "You know what, I've realised that I can't be with someone who doesn't actually want to be with me."

Reaching for the ring on her left hand, she laughed bitterly.

"I can't believe I deluded myself into ever thinking you could love me." she told Sasuke, grabbing one of his hands despite his protest and placing the ring upon his palm.

"Sakura-"

"The wedding is off. Good luck finding a pedigree breeder."

Gathering all her strength, Sakura turned around and began to walk off, ignoring Sasuke's calls from behind her. Her heart was breaking, but she knew that it was the best thing to do. No matter how much she loved Sasuke, she wasn't going to allow herself to be anyone's second choice.

She could no longer hear his voice, the tears sliding silently down her cheeks as the sky began to weep along with her, rain droplets landing in her hair, on her skin. Pausing for a moment, she lifted her face up towards the darkened sky, closing her eyes as the rain continued to increasingly pour. It felt cleansing as the water soaked through her clothes, through her skin.

Now all she needed was a good, stiff drink.

* * *

To say that Hatake Kakashi was irritated was a severe understatement.

For over an hour, he'd been attempting to read one of his favourite novels - Icha Icha Paradise. However, every time a graphic scene appeared, he couldn't help but imagine himself as the hero, pressed up against a certain pinkette who quivered under his touch.

He hadn't been able to get Sakura off his mind for a week straight. No matter the amount of cold showers he had, she never ceased to escape his thoughts. What had started off as a few passing dirty thoughts had became a full-blown infatuation; one that didn't seem like he would be able to shake off any time soon, despite the circumstances.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door; followed by a series of several more raps. Kakashi looked in it's direction, silently cursing the person on the other side. With his luck, it was probably Yamato, or worse, Gai; wanting to drag him out of his comfort and challenge him to some kind of ridiculous task. All he could do was hope that whoever it was, they would get the idea that he wasn't answering and leave.

There was another knock.

Throwing the book down on his small table, he groaned in frustration. It seemed there was no getting out of this tonight. Moving over to the door, he took in a deep breath before turning the handle, swinging the door towards him to reveal his visitor.

His obsidian orb widened.

It was Sakura.

"Are you busy?" she asked timidly, looking almost like she regretted her decision to come to his door.

Kakashi shook his head, unable to form words. He was trying to contain himself, but the fact that only a few minutes earlier he'd been imagining a scenario that involved her being completely naked beneath him coupled with the sight of her completely drenched from the night's rain made it slightly difficult.

Sakura took his gesture to mean that she could enter his place, and did so, peeling her water-logged coat off her body. She didn't notice that the dress she had been wearing now clung to her like a second skin, and due to the dampness, had become somewhat see-through.

Her companion, on the other hand, was trying to control his crotch.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, closing the door and heading into the kitchenette. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine." she answered, but he didn't buy it for a second.

Approaching her, worry set into his exposed features.

"Sakura, it isn't a regular occurrence for you to make random house calls. What is this all about?"

Taking in a deep breath, the pinkette turned around to face him, determination in her viridian orbs.

"I want you to make love to me."

Both Kakashi's eyes widened with her words as he stumbled backwards, collapsing onto the bed with shock. As he regarded her with a gaze of mismatched obsidian and crimson, he quickly rose a hand.

"Kai."

Much to his confusion, there was no henge dispelled. This was actually Sakura standing before him, looking at him with such an intense gaze that excited him and made him nervous at the same time.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he inquired tentatively, trying to make sense of the situation as he closed his Sharingan once more.

Sakura crossed her arms. "This is not someone people usually joke about, Kakashi-sensei."

The silver-haired Jōnin was now at a complete loss. This had to be some kind of twisted dream, a fantasy he had subconsciously concocted up in his thoughts, but every time he closed his eye and then opened it, she remained standing before him, still looking as defiant as ever.

"Sakura, this isn't right and you know it. You're not only my student, but you're engaged to be married." he protested, although hating himself for doing so.

"_Former_ student. Besides, I'm old enough for the student and teacher relationship to no longer count, we're both hold the same rank of Jōnin now." she retorted.

Kakashi frowned beneath his mask. "You still refer to me as sensei, Sakura."

"Fine,_ Kakashi_."

The sound of her speaking his name without the honorific sent shivers down his spine, but why, he could not comprehend.

"That's not the point anyway. What about Sasuke?" he attempted again, knowing that his strength in fighting off temptation was waning.

"It's over. I called the engagement off when I found out he only wanted to marry me because I annoyed him the least of the women in the village. He wants a breeder, not a lover." Sakura explained, inching closer to Kakashi.

"This is wrong. I should never have kissed you in the study." he desperately tried to avert his gaze, but it returned to Sakura's advancing form.

"I should never have kissed you back, but I did. And I'm glad I did. It was the closest thing to affection I've ever experienced, and I want to feel it again." the pinkette told him breathily, reaching at the hem of her dress before pulling it up and over her head, leaving her in nothing but her lingerie, a matching pair of maroon underpants and bra.

All resolve Kakashi had left was disappearing quickly as he took in her barely clothed form, and the perfection that was her womanly body. He'd only imagined it in his forbidden thoughts, but none of those could compare to the sight before him, the curves of her hips and the swell of her breasts, tantalising him to no end.

"Ever since that night, I can't stop thinking about you. I want this, Kakashi. I want you." she told him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up off the bed so he was standing against her. "I don't think I could handle it if you rejected me."

Her heart pounding in her chest, Sakura found her courage slipping as Kakashi simply stared at her, saying nothing and making no movement. The alcohol from the few drinks she had downed earlier was beginning to wear off, and if any more minutes passed, she was sure that she would burst into tears and make even more of a fool of herself. She only had about four cups of warm sake; not enough for her to be intoxicated, but plenty to keep up her bravado as she made the decision to ask Kakashi to make love to her.

She wanted it, there was no doubt in her mind. She wanted to experience the fire and electricity, the intense pleasure and thrill that he had given her before. She knew of the risks but also the perks, and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than him.

So when Kakashi suddenly picked her up and pushed her against the nearest wall, she practically rejoiced.

Tugging the mask down underneath his chin, he took a moment to absorb the situation and admire the beauty of the woman before him as her breathing hitched with what was no doubt anticipation. She tilted her head up to look at him properly, letting out a soft whimper that encouraged his body's natural reaction even more; his pants were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with each passing second.

With that thought, his lips crashed against her own.

Sakura responded instantly, with a growing neediness that spurned him on as they continued their chaste exchanges, the air around them growing thicker, the electricity practically crackling between them. His lips were scorching against hers; her lips cool against his. One hand moved to splay across the small of her exposed back, the other clasped her bottom to hold her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms enclosing themselves around his shoulder as she pressed her chest against his, and he pushed her more forcibly against the wall.

Kakashi instinctively opened his mouth and ran his tongue against her top, then bottom lip; encouraging Sakura to let out a low moan that sang of pure pleasure. Taking the gesture as an invitation his fleshy organ entered her mouth, and she welcomed it hungrily with her own, caressing with long, sweeping strokes as she gripped on tighter around his shoulders out of fear of passing out from the overwhelming ecstasy she was experiencing.

Both found themselves lost in the moment, only aware of one another as their mouths separated before coming back together repeatedly, ravenously, craving to taste each other as wave after wave of nothing but sheer carnality washed over their bodies. Sakura had been feeling cold earlier, her skin damp from the night's rain, but with Kakashi pressing up against her, and the scorching heat of his skin against hers, she felt as if she were practically on fire.

The butterflies had returned to Sakura's stomach, as had the rising heat in her groin. She was completely and utterly turned on, and from the rock solid bulge she could feel jutting into her thigh, so was Kakashi. Knowing he was so aroused by her only further exhilarated her, as she broke away from his for air, panting heavily in rhythm with him, she couldn't help but smirk.

"Seems like someone is getting rather excited." she purred, earning herself a raised eyebrow.

Sakura was a tease, and it only seemed to make him even harder, if that was possible. The meek student had somehow transformed into a saucy minx while he'd had his eyes closed; he couldn't explain it any other way.

"I have you to thank for that." he practically growled, nipping gently at her bottom lip.

"I'm sure you can think of a way to express your gratitude." the pinkette grinned, secretly amazed that her words were having such an effect on the Jōnin.

She'd never thought of herself of acting such a way in the bedroom, but in all the fantasies she had experienced in the past week, the sexual banter always caught her attention. It made her feel even more womanly, and gave her somewhat more control; something she could hide her true nerves behind. She knew she wanted this, but at the same time she was anxious - she'd never been in such a position before, save for the first kiss that had started all of this.

Sakura didn't have much time to dwell on her thoughts as Kakashi stood back from the wall, still holding her up, and moved her over to the bed, laying her down gently upon it. She let go of her hold around him, allowing the silver-haired man to stand back up and quickly discard his shirt and pants, leaving him in nothing but his underpants, which were dark in colour and tight - the bulge in the front very noticeable, and suddenly very formidable.

Kakashi didn't know she was a virgin, and she had no idea how she was going to go through with this.

She lifted her eyes up to met his sole one, which was gazing down at her, it's obsidian depth full of unbridled passion and desire. Her nervousness came back as he regarded her body; he'd surely been with many women, how would she be able to even compare?

Her bravery slipping, Sakura suddenly felt the need to cover herself up, becoming incredibly self conscious. But as she looked at Kakashi, the planes of his muscular chest etched with numerous scars as he moved towards her once more, the hunger for him returned; the need to be against him, the want to kiss him, the desire for him to be inside her.

She'd never been one that would be classified as a 'dirty' girl, but right now her mind was filled with nothing but downright filthy thoughts.

Kakashi almost couldn't bear to touch Sakura again, her beauty overwhelming him for a moment. She was the most gorgeous creature he had seen; so pure and innocent that he was compelled to send her home before he tainted her completely. But she wanted him, the heat and desire behind her kisses had been real and absolute proof. He could have sworn he saw hesitation flash across her features for a split second, but as she regarded him with sultry eyes, all comprehensible thought was lost and all he could think about was her and nothing else.

He moved onto the bed, manoeuvring himself between Sakura's legs as he hovered above her, one hand on the mattress beside her right rib, the other moving to entangle his fingers within her azalea tresses that were splayed across the pillow. She bent her knees and squeezed his hips between them, raising her body up so it could press against his own, skin to skin; her hands moving to explore the taut muscles of his back.

His lips slanted against hers once more, and the dance started again, his hips rolling against hers, his erection pressed up against the growing dampness of her underwear. She was too enthralled to be embarrassed about the situation, even when the hand that had been ensnared in her hair moved down to gently grasp one of her breasts.

Letting out a small startled gasp, Sakura froze for a brief moment but Kakashi didn't seem to notice, beginning to knead the fleshy mound softly, his thumb moving to dart across one of her material-covered nipples. It instantly hardened at the touch, and earned him a breathy moan as the pinkette become entranced once more by him.

Realising she had enjoyed his motion, Kakashi repeated the movement, grinning into her lips as she let out a low hum of approval. He quickly moved his hand around to the back of her bra and unclipped it with ease, his nimble fingers making short work of the usually difficult clasps. With a tug, the straps fell down her shoulders and she instinctively tore her arms away from his form, allowing the flimsy material to be added to the other clothes strewn upon the wooden floor.

Her bare breasts exposed, Sakura couldn't help but blush as Kakashi turned his attention to the creamy flesh, the pert pink nipples that beckoned for his touch. He reached out and ran the pad of his thumb gently over one, causing it to harden further as her back arched up slightly, encouraging him to repeat the action. Eventually, his thumb was joined by his index finger as he gently pinched the nipple, and was rewarded when Sakura reacted once more, this time one of her hands moving to grasp at his hair.

His lips left hers, trailing down to her cheek and then her jaw, pressing kisses against her flushed skin as they travelled down her throat and to her collarbone, moving downwards even further until he had reached her other breast, his breath fanning against the exposed skin, causing the nipple to pucker even more with anticipation. Without a word he descended upon it, nipping at the bud gently with his teeth before rolling his tongue across it, in rhythm with his hands upon her other breast.

Sakura's breath came out in heavy pants, unable to contain the raw moans that ripped from her throat. What he was doing to her was both euphoric and torture at the same time, her groin practically alight and throbbing painfully, the need to be satisfied overwhelming.

"Touch me." she managed to gasp, tilting her head back as another pleasurable wave washed over her body. "Down there."

Although surprised by her demand, the desperation in Sakura's voice caused Kakashi's hand to instinctively leave her breast and trail down the flat slope of her toned abdomen, revelling in the scorching heat of her skin before he reached the hem of her underpants. In no time, he had slipped his fingers inside the material, moving over the thatch of curls before he found wetness, and a great amount of it.

She was practically soaking in her own juices, and he felt his own pants grow just a little more tighter as he acknowledged that fact. He wasted no time in sliding a finger experimentally over the bundles of nerves that practically ached for his touch, causing Sakura's back to arch up off the mattress once more; this time higher and with more force as her hips bucked suddenly against his.

"Again." she rasped, one hand moving to grip the sheets.

Kakashi did so as commanded, continuing to stroke over her swollen nub as Sakura felt her skin beginning to tingle. It felt amazing, but somehow was not enough. Luckily, she did not have to voice this thought, as her lover seemed to know just what to do; suddenly his finger moved down slightly and sank slowly into her cleft, the pinkette letting out a gratifying cry of pure bliss.

His digit slid in and out rhythmically, although he found himself concerned with the tightness of her vaginal walls. Surely she wasn't a virgin…

…_was she_?

There was no way that Sakura hadn't been intimate before. She was much too beautiful to have been ignored by the eligible young men of the village. Although, she had been saving herself for Sasuke, and he distinctly remembered a conversation he'd had with the young woman where she had lamented on her failed attempt to kiss the Uchiha.

With horror, he realised that his theory was correct. She was indeed a virgin.

He paused in his movements, his mouth detaching from Sakura's breast. She noticed that he had stopped and moved her head forward, her confused gaze meeting with his, her cheeks flushed, her pink lips swollen, a thin sheen of sweat across her alabaster skin.

"What's wrong?" she inquired, and he could detect the hint of urgency in her voice.

"You're a virgin." he stated, unsure of how to proceed.

She bit her lip, a habit he knew indicated her guilt.

"So what?"

Kakashi frowned. "Losing your virginity is a big deal to most girls, Sakura. They want their first time to be special, with someone they really care about."

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly. "You better not be backing off Kakashi. I want this, I want you, and I swear to Kami if you stop right no-"

Her words were cut off as his lips recaptured hers, his finger continuing to slide in and out of her slick channel, soon joined by a second digit, which made her moan even louder into their fervent kisses. It wasn't long until she was whimpering beneath him, wordlessly begging him for more, and he could feel himself needing to be within her, unable to control himself any longer.

He broke apart from her, swiftly tugging at her underpants and pulling them down her legs before flinging them to the floor, then removing his own in quick succession. As Sakura found herself looking at her former teacher's erect member, she couldn't help but gasp; how on earth was that meant to fit inside of her? Surely it wasn't anatomically possible.

Kakashi sensed her fear, and resumed his position, his arousal rubbing up against the inside of her thigh, which was slick with her wetness.

"It's going to hurt at first," he warned her gently, caressing her cheek with his hand, "but after a while, the pain will cease and you'll feel the pleasure."

She nodded numbly, knowing that he would take every care to be gentle with her, and not cause her pain intentionally.

"You have to relax, Sakura." he breathed, moving off her slightly so he could guide himself into her wet folds as she closed her eyes and tried her best to ease her muscles.

As he guided himself deeper, Sakura bit back a moan of pain, and fought the tears that stung in the corners of her eyes. She'd known it would hurt the first time, but hadn't prepared herself for the throbbing that grew as he pushed his length inside her, slowly and gently as possible. All she could do was remind herself that it would be over soon.

"It's almost over." Kakashi spoke gently, and she could detect the arousal in his voice.

"I'm okay." she replied softly, trying her best to give him a smile.

Cautiously, he pulled back slightly before thrusting his hips forward, Sakura unable to control the cry that escaped her mouth. The burning sensation continued as Kakashi repeated the action; all she could do was bite the inside of her cheek and not ruin this moment for either of them. If she revealed just how pain she was experiencing, there was a good chance Kakashi would stop, and she did not want that at all.

His thrusts grew deeper, longer; rhythmically moving as his hips rocked against hers. Soon, she felt the pain beginning to subside, washed over by the growing pleasure and ecstasy that took it's place. The heat returning to her body, the thrill that coursed through her veins, Sakura pushed herself against Kakashi's naked torso, indicating that she had rejoined him in the throes of carnality, which spurned him to continue harder, faster; the friction between them growing with each passing moment.

Her hips ground simultaneously against his, her heavy pants and gasps encouraging him even further, his arousal hitting it's peak as Sakura let out a loud cry of pure rapture, her back taut as she arched up off the bed once more, the climax tearing through her body, blinding her temporarily. It didn't take Kakashi much longer before he let out his own rumbling moan, panting heavily as he exploded within her, rocking her core which caused her to quiver suddenly as a second orgasm ripped through her system.

Panting heavily, the two stayed in position for a moment to catch their breaths and attempt to recover. Sakura swore she was seeing stars, never had she experienced such elation in her young life, and could safely say she would be indulging in sex many more times when possible. Kakashi removed himself from within her gently, heading into the bathroom to clean himself up before returning to his recuperating lover.

"Feel free to shower if you need." he told her, grabbing his underpants and swiftly putting them back on.

She said nothing but nodded in understanding, making her way off the bed and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The water of the shower turned on, leaving Kakashi to mull over his thoughts; which were incredibly confusing. What happened now? There was no way that the relationship between them could ever return to that of simple student and teacher. They'd broken a some kind of barrier, one that could never be crossed back over again.

It wasn't long before the shower turned off and Sakura reappeared, covering her body in a dark-blue towel. Kakashi hadn't prepared a fresh one for her, his mind still muddled from the night's events, but didn't mind that she was using his, especially as it had only been washed the day earlier.

She wandered through the apartment, collecting her items of clothes and hastily dressing in them, making sure that the towel remained covering her, much to Kakashi's discontent. She avoided his watchful eye, and he could only wonder if she was suddenly feeling regret about her decision; if she abhorred him for taking her virginity.

Once she was redressed in her still-damp clothes, Sakura grabbed the towel and returned it to the bathroom. She then made her way over to her former sensei, meeting his gaze for the first time, her viridian orbs unreadable.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say." she admitted, looking suddenly nervous.

"You don't have to say anything." he replied, scratching the back of his head with uncertainty.

"What…what happens now?" she asked, the sultriness gone, replaced with meekness once more.

Kakashi sighed. "I don't know. I guess we will figure that out when the time comes."

Sakura nodded, and then leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss upon his unmasked lips.

"Thank you, Kakashi."

Before he could reply, she turned and made her way to the door, before opening it up and disappearing out into the staircase, the door closing softly behind her.

Kakashi collapsed onto the bed.

What on earth had he done?

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_**1.**__The first half of this chapter was written up two months ago. I just got caught up with life and writing Unbroken that it just sat there untouched. Not forgotten, however._

_**2.**__ This sex scene is a bit more saucy than the one in Unbroken, although it is roughly along the same lines - the first time is usually quite straightforward. This story is obviously a lot different, and a bit more smuttier. Still emotional and drama and all that jazz, but a lot more sexy scenes, and a lot more variation in said scene, I promise. Provided I don't die of embarrassment every time I write one._

_**3.**__ I read back through the first four chapters so I could remind myself where I was at, totally forgot just how much I adore this story, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm incredibly proud of it, even if it's only a few chapters._

_Please let me know what you think, feedback is incredibly helpful and very much appreciated! :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_With Unbroken now officially complete, this story should be updated more frequently. We're about halfway in so far (it was only meant to be a small, slightly smutty fiction on the side of my main project) so it shouldn't take me too long to finish. _

_Loving all the feedback, glad to hear that you guys are enjoying it! Keep 'em coming, it does wonders for my self esteem and drives me to keep on writing and improving._

_Reader discretion is advised yet again for this chapter - this is the last warning. If you're not old enough to read about intimate adult situations, then you really shouldn't be reading this story at all, considering there are more to come. _

_It's rated 'M' for a reason._

_Those who are old enough to read about such things, I do hope you continue to support me throughout the rest of this story - you're all awesome._

_Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved! :)_

CHAPTER SIX

_"What do you mean you can't come to lunch today?"_

Sakura bit back a groan of frustration, holding the phone away from her ear as her mother's tone began to rise. She'd known this wasn't going to be easy, but at the same time, there was no way she could go anywhere in her current state, not even to meet her mother for their weekly lunch date.

"I have so much paperwork to catch up on, it all has to be done by Friday at the latest and I'm already behind. I'll make it up to you next week, I promise." she tried again, biting her lip.

That was, of course, if she actually found herself able to leave the house.

It had been a number of days since Sakura had stepped foot outside of her home; how many however she couldn't exactly recall as she'd been too distracted by her overloaded mind to count. She wasn't exactly avoiding the world, she simply found herself in a position in which she was unable to face it.

There were two people that she couldn't bear to come across in her fragile mentality, and there was every chance of coming across them in the busy streets below her bedroom window. She still hadn't concluded how she was going to deal with the delicate situation at hand, seeing either one of them would make things overwhelmingly worse.

_"Sakura, is everything alright?"_ her mother inquired on the phone, reclaiming Sakura's attention.

"I'm fine, really. I should probably get back to that paperwork." the pinkette lied swiftly through her teeth, guilt coursing through her veins.

Deceit and deception may be two large factors in her chosen profession as a shinobi, but that did not mean she had to practice them in her personal life. In fact, Sakura abhorred lying, and inwardly detested herself each time an untruth passed her lips. Being dishonest to Naruto had been one of her worst moments; she still hadn't been able to forgive herself even though he had seen right through her words. She'd only been trying to protect him, to cease his determination to bring Sasuke back at her request, such a foolish thing for a smitten young girl with a broken heart to ask for.

Yet, he'd still gone to hell and back, and achieved his goal to return the rogue Uchiha to Konoha.

Sakura scrunched up her nose. She couldn't allow herself to think about Sasuke.

_"I'll give you another call tomorrow evening then. Talk to you then." _

Before Sakura could say her farewells, her mother had already hung up the phone on her end. It was obvious she was unhappy that her daughter had cancelled their plans, and there was a good chance she was aware that Sakura was not fine at all, despite her assurances.

Returning the phone to it's cradle on her desk, the pinkette moved back to her bed, sitting upon the edge as she buried her face in her hands. She knew she needed a shower, and desperately; the last time she had washed herself had been after she had returned home from Kakashi's, needing to rinse away the guilt, regret and shame, along with his musky aroma that still clung to her skin.

She couldn't fathom what had caused her to show up at Kakashi's apartment that night, her inhibitions lowered by sake as she implored him to make love to her. Even thinking back to that moment made her cheeks burn, he must have considered her to be out of her mind. And yet, he had eventually relented under her persistence, allowed himself to take her wholly and completely in a haze of lust and desire.

Sakura had merely been a child in an adult's costume when she had arrived on his doorstep. When she crossed over that threshold once more, she'd been made a woman.

Despite the sheer embarrassment and indignity she felt when she recalled moments of that night in her mind, the images flashing before her eyes of heated exchanges and breathy monads, it also ignited a spark of warmth in the pool of her belly that quickly travelled down to her groin, causing it to ache dully with the need to be touched.

Internally fighting the sexual desire that began to flare through her system, Sakura moved off the bed, wandering out of her bedroom towards the bathroom. Living alone certainly had it's perks; as she strode down the hallway, items of clothing were easily discarded and hung over the banister, able to be easily collected when she returned to the bedroom to change after her shower. By the time she reached the bedroom she was free of any material, her underwear hanging over her index finger as she lay it over the railing, reminding herself to add the item to her laundry basket later.

It wasn't long until she was in the shower, the warm water cascading over her body, her hair quickly becoming heavy with the weight of the liquid. Sakura instantly went about washing her hair; it was always her first priority when she bathed. Next came the conditioner and then a thorough scrub of her skin, exfoliating with a shower gel that smelt faintly of peaches.

Once the pinkette had rinsed all the suds from her body she leant against the nearby wall, enjoying the sensation of the water hitting her skin. No matter how wonderful it felt, Sakura knew it couldn't completely wash away all of her sins, every time she even thought about Kakashi, it seemed as if her skin was covered in some kind of invisible grime.

Her memories of her former teacher came with mixed feelings, she often felt remorseful and yet exhilarated at the same time as her mind returned to their shared intimacy. He'd made her experience things she'd never even dreamed of; never had her skin felt so electric as her body grew even warmer with each touch, kiss, moan.

In fact, just thinking about it at that moment made Sakura feel even more turned on. She soon found herself easily ignoring the tense and apprehensive sensation that rumbled from her abdomen as her hand moved up to grasp her left breast, kneading roughly as she recollected the way his fingers had felt on her skin, the warmth of his lips as they had repeatedly met with her own, the excitement that had tingled across her body as she'd been made aware of his arousal.

A low whimper escaped her throat as her free hand slowly trailed down the flatness of her stomach, reaching the thatch of damp curls as her breathing hitched with anticipation-

Loud, booming knocks sounding from her front door downstairs broke Sakura out of her trance immediately, heat quickly pooling in her cheeks as she realized what she had been about to do. Reaching for the taps she turned off the water and hurriedly made her way out of the shower, grabbing a nearby towel that she wrapped around her body, ensuring that she was well-covered before she dashed down the stairs and to the door.

She wasn't sure whether to scold the person on the other side for interrupting her, or thanking them for preventing her from doing something incredibly appalling.

Either way, she quickly grasped the handle and turned it to the side, causing the door to swing upon and reveal the face of the last person she had expected to see standing on her doorstep.

"…Sasuke-kun." she blinked several times, unaware that she had slipped into her old habit of using the honorific to his name.

It took everything within the young Uchiha to not look down at her almost bare form, the bath towel a flimsy excuse of coverage. He hadn't been expecting her to answer the door in such a fashion, it was evident that he'd interrupted her in the middle of a shower, her azalea locks hanging in wet tendrils around her flushed face as she stared at him.

"Sakura." he replied with an even tone, his dark eyes set firmly on her face. "May I come in?"

Although surprised by his forwardness, Sakura found herself moving out of the doorway so he could enter her home. Wordlessly she closed the door behind him, her mind moving miles per minute as it tried to comprehend why he had come to see her. Sasuke had never really been one to make house calls, especially when he hadn't been previously invited.

"I'll just go and put some clothes on, make yourself comfortable." she told him, watching as he took a seat on her couch before she ran up the stairs into her bedroom.

Her heart racing, Sakura darted around the room, making sure to dry her hair with the towel as best she could in such a short amount of time. Usually there would be a hair-dryer involved, but she couldn't keep Sasuke waiting. When she was satisfied and her hair was only slightly damp, she dropped the towel to the floor as she grabbed a pair of simple black underpants and a matching bra, quickly slipping both on before clasping the latter behind her back; an awkward task that had become much easier over time. She wasn't sure of how one was supposed to dress on the occasion of having your ex-fiancé show up out of nowhere at your home, and settled upon a simple black skirt matched with her regular red top that zipped up diagonally across her chest.

In no time at all she returned to her guest downstairs, who regarded her with a strange emotion that Sakura couldn't quite recall. She took a seat next to him on the couch, crossing her legs as she turned her eyes to him, trying to find any signs that would give her an idea of why he had decided to visit her.

Focusing on him also helped keep the immense amount of guilt she was feeling at bay, the last thing she needed was to break down in front of him and admit what she had done. Even though they were no longer engaged, it had still been a terrible act on her part. She didn't want to cause any further issues between Sasuke and Kakashi as well, things had already been strained there since the Uchiha had come back to the village.

"I'm surprised that you're here." Sakura spoke up, hoping her admittance would break the tension between them.

Sasuke blinked at her words as if he had been released from a momentary trance, lifting up his arm to reveal a small bouquet of flowers. "These are for you."

He handed them to the pinkette, who couldn't help but stare at the crimson roses that she now held in her lap. Was he aware that they represented love above all things? Or had it simply been a quick purchase with no thought at all?

Little did she know that Sasuke had actually gone to the Yamanaka flower store, in hopes that Ino would be working at the counter. He'd been in luck; the young blonde woman had practically squealed with delight as he'd entered the shop, an inhumane sound that had nearly burst his eardrums. It seemed she was more than happy to help him with his predicament, and to get involved with her best friend's love life.

"They're lovely, Sasuke-kun, but that still doesn't explain why you're here." Sakura placed the flowers beside her, still unable to understand why he was there.

Sasuke let out a sigh before speaking.

"I wanted to…apologise for the other night. You had every right to be angry with me, I should have been more clear about the situation with you. "

Sakura felt her jaw drop.

As soon as the words left his lips, Sasuke regretted them. They weren't coming from him directly; he'd believed that she had been in the wrong, over-reacting about the smallest thing. Apologising was something he abhorred doing, and therefore did not make a habit of it. However, Ino had sworn repeatedly that it was the best way to appeal to the pinkette, and eventually help her see reason. Also, it would apparently win him 'brownie points', whatever those were.

"However, I think you should reconsider calling off the wedding." he added after a while, carefully watching for her reaction.

To say that Sakura was surprised was an understatement. After recovering from the initial shock of him apologising to her, she carefully regarded his next words. It basically sounded like he wanted her to come back to him, and for the wedding to continue on ahead.

Quickly standing up, Sakura moved away from the couch, the bouquet of roses clenched in her hand as she carried it to the nearby kitchen. Looking over the counter at the silent Sasuke, she observed him for a few minutes before closing her eyes.

"Let me guess, the only reason you want me to still marry you is because of how much you've already spent on the ceremony, right? When you eventually find another bride you'll have to waste even more money; this is just easier for you financially." she suggested, her tone bitter.

Sasuke felt his eyebrows furrow together with annoyance. Her response had not been what he had been expecting, it seemed that Ino did not know her best friend as well as she had previously thought. Getting to his feet, he moved towards the kitchen, trying to ignore the way Sakura was purposefully avoiding his gaze as she reached for a nearby pair of scissors and set about diagonally snipping the ends of the rose stalks.

"Money has nothing to do with it." he tried again, hoping this time he would somehow be able to convince her. "Before that night, I had never really faced the prospect of not marrying you. I found myself…displeased with this concept. I only wish for you to become my wife Sakura, and not for the simple fact that you annoy me less than other women in this village."

The more he spoke, the less his words made sense to the pinkette. She knew Sasuke, and therefore was aware that he would never say such things to her. There was nothing that could change his mind so dramatically in such a short amount of time.

Sakura snipped the last stem of the bouquet and took in a deep breath.

"I don't believe you."

Letting out a low growl of sheer frustration, Sasuke refused to admit defeat. He would make Sakura his, at any cost; he would do anything to convince her of this.

With that thought, he moved behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders as he spun her around to face him, ignoring the venomous glare from her viridian orbs as he bent his head down slightly to meet her lips with his.

Taken aback by the sudden gesture, Sakura at first stiffened under his touch, unsure of what Sasuke's intentions actually were. However, despite her reaction, he repeated the action, this time earning himself a response as her mouth softly pressed back against his, deepening the sudden kiss. Her eyes slid shut as her head moved slightly to the right, her hands moving to the sides of his chest, fingers clasping the material of his shirt.

It was unlike the other kisses she'd ever experienced, this one slow and steady instead of heated and rough. Sasuke parted his lips slightly as they descended upon hers once more and she soon found herself mimicking him before his tongue slowly slid out from behind his teeth, entering her mouth where she greeted it sensually with her own fleshy muscle. He tasted different to Kakashi, more subtle in flavour and yet there was a subtle hint of sweetness; she found herself being reminded of the tang of tomatoes.

Eventually Sasuke pulled away, his breathing slightly heavier than before as he looked down at Sakura, who was panting softly as she tried to make sense of what just happened. He couldn't help but admit that he had actually enjoyed the kiss, but of course would never openly admit that to her. Instead he dropped his hands from her shoulders and stepped back to give her some room, straightening his shirt as he awaited her to speak.

When she said nothing and only leaned backwards against the counter, her cheeks dusted with a deep pink blush, Sasuke took charge of the situation once more.

"Once again, I ask you to reconsider your decision." he reached into his pocket before presenting her with a familiar item of jewellery.

The ring sat neatly on the palm of his hand, the faucets of the diamond shining dully in the sunlight that filtered through the nearby windows. It really was a magnificent and beautiful piece of jewellery, and Sakura almost swore she could feel her ring finger on her left hand ache dully with the need to wear it.

Looking up at Sasuke, obsidian meeting viridian, her mind was a blur. Even after everything that had happened, she still loved him just as much as she had when she was a young girl. Despite her feelings for Kakashi - whatever they were, since she hadn't allowed herself to label them just yet - she knew they would never be able to actually be together. The notion was laughable; after all, he was many years her senior, not to mention her former sensei.

Marrying Sasuke would give her security and a chance of a future with a family. She would be financially beneficial, and be able to support her parents as they became older. The respect she received from the villagers would increase, and she would be responsible for reviving one of the most notable clans in the entire world.

Sure, she was aware that Sasuke did not return her feelings. At least, not at the moment. There was every chance that over time, he would come to feel for her what she felt for him.

It was this hope that caused her to reach out and take the ring from Sasuke's hand, slipping it onto her finger once more in a silent acceptance.

As he watched Sakura admire the diamond that glinted from her hand, Sasuke couldn't help the smirk that curled upon his lips, a gesture that was filled with smug confidence. He wasn't as foolish as his fiancée seemed to think him to be; he was very well aware that something had been going on between her and the deluded old man that had once been their sensei.

And Uchiha Sasuke wasn't one to give up his property without a fight.

* * *

The knock at his door roused the silver-haired man from his slumber, causing him to unceremoniously roll off the bed onto the floor, where he groggily made his way to his feet and staggered towards the door, opening it without a second thought.

The sight of a familiar pinkette standing before him instantly drained any remaining drowsiness from his system.

"Sakura?" he exclaimed with surprise, his Sharingan revealing itself as his mismatched eyes widened.

"Do you mind if I come in?" she asked, the nervousness and apprehension clear in her tone.

Soundlessly he nodded and gestured for her to enter his apartment, closing the door behind her as she walked through and immediately headed over to the couch, taking a seat upon it as her viridian orbs darted across the room, focusing on everything and anything but his approaching form.

Closing his crimson eye, Kakashi quickly pinched his upper arm to ensure that he was not in fact dreaming. He'd been going over old mission reports and had somehow ended up falling asleep, most likely due to his recent insomnia. When he tried to go to bed of a night he often found himself incredibly restless, plagued with the images and memories of the night he had shared with Sakura.

Despite knowing that it had been wrong, it had still felt so right. He'd often found himself contemplating the idea of sharing that intimacy with Sakura again, despite her lack of experience, he couldn't think of any of his past lovers that had managed to have such an effect on him. Those women had been through it all, with Sakura she was experiencing it all for the first time, and that alone excited him in a way he'd never felt before.

It had been a disastrous mistake, and yet he still couldn't help but recall how amazing she had tasted, the breathy moans of pleasure that had escaped her lips, how tight she had been around him…

Feeling the familiar sensation of warmth emitting from his crotch, he forced himself to stop pondering those past events and focus on why she had suddenly appeared on his doorstep once more. She looked almost hesitant to be there, and he was fairly sure she felt as awkward as he did. It had been almost a week since that night, and this was the first time he'd seen her.

Did she regret it like he did? Had the shame washed over her body as it had over his?

He sat on the edge of the bed, facing Sakura who's gaze was now firmly planted on the floor.

"Is everything alright, Sakura?" Kakashi inquired, wincing at his lame attempt to break the ice.

"I…I don't know." the pinkette admitted, biting her lip as she ran a hand through her petal-pink tresses.

Kakashi immediately picked up on both habits being obvious signs of her nervousness, but that wasn't what caught his full attention. No, his sole eye was trained only on the glinting ring that adorned Sakura's left hand, a familiar item of jewellery that made his heart drop and his blood boil at the same time.

"You're engaged to Sasuke again."

Sakura's eyes snapped up to meet Kakashi's masked face, shuddering slightly at the harsh tone of his voice. His words had been a statement, not a question, and as she noticed that her left hand was threaded through her hair, she immediately withdrew it from sight, realising he had seen the ring. Inwardly she scolded herself, it had been her intention to inform him gently that the engagement was back on.

Telling Kakashi had been the first thing on her to-do list. It was important that she inform him that whatever had happened between them was in no way ever going to happen again, that she was determined to be faithful to Sasuke. If the Uchiha was ever to find out…she couldn't bear to think about the consequences that would ensue.

"He showed up at my place this morning, and apologised." Sakura eventually spoke up, wringing her hands together on her lap. "He was so sincere, I know he meant every word; and it's in my best interests to marry him. He can give me security and a great future, that's what every girl wishes for."

Kakashi narrowed his eye.

"What about the love? Don't try and fool yourself Sakura, we both know that he doesn't feel that way about you."

The pinkette tried to fight off the hurt that coursed through her veins. "Well, not right now, but maybe in time-"

Standing up, Kakashi threw his hands up in the air as he walked towards his small kitchenette, before spinning on his heel and moving towards Sakura.

"After everything that he has put you through, you honestly believe that will happen?"

It was hard for Sakura not to hear the pain in Kakashi's tone. It was strange to hear him express such emotion, throughout her entire time knowing him, he'd always seem so calm and dejected, his aloof charm blinding from the fact that he rarely expressed his true feelings. She'd only witnessed his rage and fury in fights when something went wrong or took a bad turn, but to know that he was upset was a whole new experience.

"Kakashi…our night together was a mistake. I was upset about Sasuke and stupidly had too much sake, the next thing I knew I was here and acting…well, not like myself. I was just so desperate for some kind of affection, something to confirm that I was worthy of it, and you were the best choice."

The silver-haired man couldn't recall the last time he'd felt so wounded. Sure, he'd known it had been a complete mistake and should never have escalated so much in the first place, but now he practically felt used. He scolded himself for not having a higher resolve, he should have turned her down and sent her on her way, instead of allowing himself to cave to her demands.

"What about the study? There was nothing to compel you to kiss me again after our suspect had left, and yet you did. Can you explain your actions then?" he asked her, pacing across the room.

"You seemed more than willing to comply." she retorted, hating herself for doing so.

Kakashi clenched his teeth together. "Sakura, you can't just toy around with me and use me as a weapon to get back at someone when it suits your fancy. I'm not an object."

She found herself frowning. "That wasn't what it was all about. I needed you, in more ways than one, and I apologise if you thought it would lead to more, but I'm dedicating myself to Sasuke-kun now, and him alone. I think it's best if we forget it ever happened."

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Kakashi stopped pacing and looked down at his former student. Her hands were clasped tightly together, and he could tell that she was shaking ever so slightly. Sakura may have lulled herself into a false sense of security that her words were correct and that she believed him, but he knew deep down that she didn't. Every words that left her lips was as much an attempt to convince herself of her reasons as it was to persuade him.

The woman before him was still the same one who had thanked him at the end of their intimate night, obviously still trying to deal with what happened. The sudden expression of gratitude had surprised him, reminding him of how inexperienced she really was when it came to relationships, she really had no idea how things worked, and now she was caught in this predicament.

Kakashi found himself sitting down beside Sakura on the couch, aware of the way she flinched when he moved closer to her, his breath fanning over her skin.

"Do you think you can actually forget, Sakura? If I recall correctly, you wanted me just as much as I desired you." he said softly, causing her breathing to hitch.

Even though Kakashi wasn't actually touching her, Sakura could feel her body already responding to him, her skin prickling as it flushed, her breathing becoming increasingly difficult to regulate. His scent permeated the air around her, causing her to salivate as she remembered the taste of him upon her tongue. Her fingers clenched the hem of her skirt as she tried to force herself to ignore his presence, knowing it wouldn't be much longer until she completely succumbed to him.

"It doesn't matter how I felt then, what I'm saying is that it can never happen again." she tried to explain, her heart pounding louder and harder in her chest.

Kakashi knew he should have felt guilty and ashamed for seducing his student again, but his primal instincts were taking over his logical thinking. At the end of the day, he wanted Sakura, and refused to let someone else take her from him, He'd already made his physical claim, even if his rival was not aware of this. His need was the most important thing to him at that moment, as he reached up to his face and slowly pulled down his mask, revealing his bare features to the pinkette.

"Is that what you really want?" he murmured in her ear, brushing his naked lips across the sensitive skin of her jaw line and neck.

Sakura's resolve crumbled, and before she realised what she was doing, she had manoeuvred herself onto Kakashi's lap, straddling his hips as her hands wove themselves into his silver mane and her lips descended upon his.

It took him no time to respond eagerly, his hands suddenly all over her, roaming across her waist, her back, and her bottom, cupping the cheeks there with a gentle squeeze that earned him a breathy moan from the younger woman. He pulled her tightly against him, invading her mouth with his tongue as he relished in her taste, her own muscle grinding against his, savouring as their breathing turned into heated pants.

Eventually they broke apart for a moment of air before their mouths collided once more with fervour and anticipation, Kakashi's hands moving from Sakura's backside to the collar of her top, knowing that the zipper lay hidden beneath the material. The pinkette made no attempt to stop him as he pulled the zipper down, the material dividing to reveal her toned stomach and ample bosom that lay hidden beneath the black material of her bra.

Kakashi's lips left hers and trailed down her chin, his tongue tasting the salty sweatiness of her skin as he moved along her jaw, dipping down the side of her neck to her clavicle as a hand moved to knead one of her clothed breasts, his thumb rubbing against her nipple as it hardened beneath the thin material. Sakura tilted her head back and bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to keep herself from crying out, but as he pulled down her bra, her breasts becoming exposed, she couldn't help the low whimper that escaped her lips.

Spurned on by her noises, Kakashi's mouth moved to suckle upon one of her pink and pert nipples, his tongue rolling across the hardened nub before gently grazing it with his teeth, causing Sakura's hold on his hair to tighten as her hips rolled against his, his arousal brushing against her inner thigh. He repeated the action, each time with more eagerness, kneading her other fleshy mound with scorching fingers as her chest heaved underneath his touch with heavy gasps.

The feeling of his hardness pressed up against her pelvis turned Sakura on even more as she shifted her hips again, not missing the groan that escaped Kakashi's throat as he became momentarily distracted. Moving her hands to his cheeks, she pulled his face away from her chest, taking the opportunity to descend upon his lips once more, pressing kiss upon kiss against his hungry mouth, nipping with her teeth and licking with her tongue.

Kakashi couldn't help but feel surprised at the pinkette's boldness, knowing she had been more hesitant the first time they had been intimate. It was interesting to watch; even more so to experience, but he wanted to try something new with her, to see that beautiful rose flush of her creamy alabaster skin when he did something unexpected.

Effortlessly he picked her up off his lap and sat her down next to him on the couch, a move that certainly broke Sakura from her desiring haze. She blinked at him, eyebrows knitted together with confusion, as if she wasn't sure whether to ask him what was happening or if she should take the chance to leave before she became tempted again.

Before she had the chance to make up her mind, Kakashi had made his way to the floor, settling between her legs as he rose up onto his knees. The blush had started across her cheeks, matching the unique shade of her hair as she regarded him with a mix of apprehension and curiosity.

"Kakashi, what are you doing?"

He merely gave a devious grin in response before lifting up the hem of her skirt, hitching it up past her waist so that her underpants were exposed. He didn't stop there however, he instantly hooked his fingers into the sides of her lingerie, pulling them down as Sakura lifted her bottom up off the couch to aid him, then lifting up her legs so he could easily slip them off and discard them. Once her feet reached the ground once more he ran his hands up her inner thighs, Sakura halting her breathing for a moment as his gaze swept across her, and it suddenly dawned on her what Kakashi had planned to do.

"No, you can't do that!" she objected, suddenly feeling horrified.

Instantly Sakura attempted to close her legs to seal him off, but to no avail. She let out an indignant squeal of protest that was cut off when his tongue flicked out against her swollen nub, causing her to squirm slightly as she moaned deeply, her toes curling beside his knees.

"Please…again." she breathed, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back.

Kakashi smirked once more before tilting his face forward, this time using the tip of his tongue to taste her in one languid lick, causing her thighs to twitch as her body tensed. He repeated the action several times before moving his tongue upwards to the sensitive bud at the apex of her slick folds, circling it lazily. As her whimpering turned into deep moans and ragged breaths, Sakura's skin began to shiver with each and every touch and she gripped the seat of the couch so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white.

Slowly, he began to pick up rhythm, the effect on his lover practically instantaneous as she began to writhe with desperation, her chest heaving with tortured moans that ripped from her throat. Sakura was close to her orgasm, but Kakashi wasn't going to allow her to climax without him. He quickly moved back onto the couch beside her, causing the pinkette to shoot him a look that screamed of injustice. Wordlessly, he slipped both his pants and underpants down to his knees, exposing his hardened length that was aching painfully with the need to be inside her. He turned back to Sakura, who's eyes were settled upon his arousal in an intrigued gaze, and she seemingly understood what he needed.

She clambered onto his lap, holding herself up so that his tip only just touched the slickness of her entrance before she eventually lowered herself onto him, scrunching up her nose slightly as she tried to adjust to his girth once more, taking him in slowly. Kakashi couldn't help the rumbling groan that tore from his throat, he'd forgotten just how amazing Sakura felt, and once he was completely inside her, his hands moved to her waist as she curled her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him.

After taking a moment to allow them both to adjust, Sakura slowly began to rock her hips against him, shifting up and down slightly with each movement. Kakashi let out several shuddering moans that mingled with her breathy ones, his eye meeting hers in a locked stare as she continued to move against him. He couldn't help but be enthralled with the fact that she was in currently in control, the smirk on her lips and glint in her viridian orbs exciting him even more as she continued to ride him.

Sakura's skin was on fire, a thin sheen of sweat layering across it. Her fingertips prickled with electricity where they clung to Kakashi, and when he began to roll his hips against hers, deepening his thrusts, any coherent thought left her mind. Her back arched as she tilted her head back, unintelligible noises escaping past her lips as she gripped the silver-haired man for dear life. Together they moved, increasing their tempo, she could feel her muscles clenching around him as the aching pleasure built up inside her, her abdomen tightening as her toes curled once more.

With a loud cry she finally climaxed, wave upon wave of ecstasy washing across her body before Kakashi soon let out a blissful groan of his own, his body spasming beneath her as he reached his peak, his fingers digging into her flesh almost painfully as he clung on to her for dear life.

Panting heavily, Sakura slumped forward, her forehead hitting Kakashi's shoulder as she tried to regain her composure and regulate her breathing. What they had just done felt amazing, and she was more than happy to bask in the afterglow for as long as she was able. She could vaguely feel Kakashi's hands on her clothed back, his fingertips stroking up and down as his own ragged pants began to subside, the air around them cooling down.

"I think you're going to have a problem." he muttered into her ear, causing her to shiver slightly.

Sakura's eyes widened as the realisation hit her; despite the fact that she loved Sasuke and was engaged to him, here she was, having intimate relations with another man, not to mention that he was her former sensei.

She leaned back and looked at him properly, a plethora of emotions flickering across her face as she tried to make some kind of sense of this. If she truly wanted to remain faithful to Sasuke, she wouldn't have fallen for Kakashi's charms so easily. It was obvious there was something there between the older man and herself, but she couldn't quite understand just what that was.

Kakashi was right. She had a serious dilemma on her hands.

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_**1.**__ Eventually we will get to understand more of what is going through Sasuke's mind during all of this. I know most might find his behaviour strange and OOC, but I tried to explain that it's not really him being sincere - he's just saying what he thinks Sakura wants to hear. Ino may have given him a few cue cards as well._

_**2.**__ More raunchy action! Tried to make this scene a little different from the other one. Not as in depth or as long; I figured the whole 'first time with someone new/losing your virginity' was a lot more important and therefore needed that detail._

_**3.**__ Took me a few days to write this; once again, the sex scene was the more difficult._

_Please let me know what you think, feedback in incredibly helpful and very much appreciated! :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_I apologise for taking so long to write/update. _

_Unfortunately I suffer from depression and there are times where it can get pretty bad, and I don't have any motivation nor creativity. The last few weeks have been rather hard on me and I just wasn't able to gather the inspiration to write until recently (hence the new chapter). I'm alright now though, so hopefully it won't happen again._

_I also had quite a bit of writer's block with this, the story kind of grew on it's own and I had to figure out a way to rope it in again, keeping with the general plotline I originally created but at the same time flowing realistically. Mostly to do with Sakura maintaining the engagement with Sasuke whilst sneaking around with Kakashi._

_I'm also busy working on my older projects and my new collection of KakaSaku one-shots (feel free to check it out) so updates will most likely be more sporadic. I'll try and have the next chapter out sooner though._

_Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved! :)_

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Sakura, I think you should move in with me."

The pinkette froze at Sasuke's words, her chopsticks falling from her fingers and clattering loudly upon the wooden table as her eyes widened.

They'd been enjoying a quiet lunch at her home, something that Sasuke had strangely insisted upon. It was part of their new daily routine, and whilst Sakura couldn't complain with the fact that her fiancé seemed to want to spend more time with her, she couldn't help but find it odd.

Of course, she would never voice that opinion.

"I beg your pardon?" she finally managed to speak, her voice low.

Sasuke tried to best to hide the frown that began to appear on his lips; he was not one that liked to repeat himself. Unfortunately, it seemed to be a rather frequent occurrence when he was Sakura.

"I think it would be best for you if you were to move in with me. It makes complete sense, as your apartment is much too small, and my home is rather sizeable for only one inhabitant." Sasuke reasoned, trying to conceal his self-loathing for the words that were coming from his mouth.

Sakura bit her lip in thought. "You want to do this right now?"

"We will be married in two months, I assume we will be living together then. I thought it would be easier and more efficient to do so now."

Looking at the frown that was appearing on Sasuke's face made Sakura feel even more guilty than she usually did. She could understand his confusion at her hesitance - this was an opportunity that a younger Sakura would have accepted happily in a heartbeat with no further assurance needed.

However, the woman she was these days was a completely different person, and not one she was entirely happy with. Here she was, a woman engaged to the boy she had loved since she had been a young girl; yet she was messing around with another man behind his back. And not just any man, but their former sensei and mentor.

The first time she had shown up at Kakashi's place under the influence of sake had been a mistake. As had the second time. And the third, fourth, fifth…

Every single night that she returned home from an intimate encounter with the silver-haired man, she'd headed to the shower and then told herself repeatedly that it would never happen again, that she was going to be Sasuke's wife in a matter of weeks and therefore she would remain faithful to him.

Yet, every night she still appeared on Kakashi's doorstep, every night she succumbed to the older man's charms, every night she hated herself a little bit more.

Sakura knew that she was hurting both Sasuke and Kakashi by not being able to make a decision between, and that she was being selfish for continuing on both relationships. She could never leave Sasuke, despite his arrogance he had always been the love of her life, the one she had imagined being with. After so many years of unrequited love, it seemed to finally be returned.

On the other hand, ending her affair with Kakashi just seemed to difficult for her to comprehend. Sakura found herself awakening a new side of herself, one that seemed to be more confident and mature. There was also some kind of connection there between them, a tension that had been growing more and more each time they were together that admittedly frightened her.

"Sakura?"

Sasuke's voice broke the pinkette from her thoughts, sounding thoroughly annoyed that she'd zoned out on him.

It was time for her to stop messing around and make a decision. For an adult, she had been acting immaturely, trying to avoid the responsibility of hurting someone she cared about.

But in the end, she had to make a choice, and carry it out.

Before she could do so though, there was someone else she needed to discuss things with.

"Is it alright if I take a walk? I just need some time to clear my head before I can give you an answer." she said softly, standing up from her seat.

Sasuke nodded in compliance, but was inwardly fuming. Although he was aware of Sakura's secret dalliances, he hadn't had any idea of how serious it had become. It had taken everything within him not to confront the older man, because he knew it would end with him most likely ripping his former sensei's throat out. He'd only just gotten the ANBU off his back and was finally beginning to win the village's trust; killing one of it's most beloved shinobi would most likely destroy all the effort he had gone through to obtain it.

However, that did not mean he would go down without a fight. Sakura was his woman, his property.

And Uchiha Sasuke did not like other people touching his things.

* * *

As Sakura hurried along the busy streets of the village, she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice that she was being followed, the lone figure jumping from rooftop to rooftop above her, keeping a keen eye on her every move but ensuring that there was no way she would realise they were there.

When she turned down the street that Kakashi's apartment block was on, the follower's eyes narrowed, darkening considerably.

* * *

Reaching for another tissue, Kakashi could feel the sting of the tears that welled in his visible eye, and cursed himself for not being more careful.

There had been some kind of trick for this, surely; chopping up an onion shouldn't cause such a strange reaction. Even with a mask covering his mouth and nose, the onion's aroma had permeated through the material, straight to his nostrils, causing the painful moisture in his eye. Even his Sharingan; with the eyelid closed and his hitai-ate covering it, was beginning to react.

Kakashi had never been one with culinary talents, preferring for others to prepare his dinner or usually opting to get take-away from the many local restaurants; but lately he had been in such good spirits that he thought he'd try his hand at an old family recipe. He recalled the meal as one of his favourites when he'd been young, it had been his mother's family recipe, handed down from generation to generation. She'd been an amazing cook, always creating new dishes as well as improving upon older ones. It had been a wonder that he hadn't been a portly child with all the food he had consumed in those early years.

Although it was still early afternoon, he wanted to start preparing for dinner early so it would be ready for Sakura when she came around. It was simply a nice gesture for her on his part; he wanted to show his appreciation of her in some way that wasn't sexual.

Sakura usually came over to his place late at night, when she was least likely to be caught by anyone they knew; especially Sasuke. They'd both known that what they were doing was forbidden and wrong on so many levels - he suspected that was one of the reasons why it felt so wonderful to be with her, and added a certain spice to the physical relationship they were sharing.

He was aware that what they were doing was purely about the sex and nothing else, but he couldn't help the way his heart skipped a beat when he saw her, how it swelled when she gave him one of her best smiles. It still baffled him as to why she was still adamant about marrying Sasuke, surely anyone who was so determined to wed a person wouldn't spend most of their time seducing another.

It would have to end eventually, Kakashi knew that deep down. However, he had no idea just when that would be. When she and Sasuke were finally wed, would she consummate the marriage with him immediately? Would she still come to her former-sensei's house in the middle of the night and share his bed for a few hours before sneaking home again?

No matter how much he'd implored Sakura to make a final decision, her mind hadn't been up for the task. There were some days where he was astounded at how mature she had become, that his student had finally become a full-fledged adult, but there was times like this that he was reminded that her mind was still stuck in her teenage years, lusting after a boy who had broken her heart over and over again.

Lately, Kakashi had found himself daydreaming about the possibility of Sakura leaving Sasuke for good, and entering upon a proper relationship with him. Of course, it was absolutely absurd and he was clearly deluded for concocting such ideas in his mind, but then again it did make more sense than whatever they had between them at the moment.

Unable to deal with the stinging pain in his obsidian orb, Kakashi tore himself away from the chopping board and moved over to the windows, making sure they were open as much as possible to aerate the room. He pulled his mask down, taking in a deep breath as the material bunched at his throat. He'd always wondered why he wore it when he was home alone, there had really been no need and yet it covered it face at all times except for when he was eating, drinking or bathing.

And of course, when he was being intimate with Sakura.

As he mind trailed back to the young pinkette, as it usually did when there was nothing around to distract him, there came a knock at the door. His gaze turning towards it, Kakashi couldn't help the frown that crossed his features. It certainly sounded like Sakura's knock, but it was early afternoon; she usually didn't come over until 9pm at the earliest.

Still, he rushed over to the door and swiftly opened it, revealing his former student at his doorstep, wringing her hands together as her eyes focused on his feet.

"You're early." Kakashi addressed her, keeping the tone light as he observed her worrying behaviour.

"I needed to talk to you." she replied feebly, quickly glancing up at him before her attention returned to the ground.

"You know you're always welcome here, Sakura." he told her as he moved to the side, allowing her to enter his place before he closed the door behind her.

Sakura's head lifted up slightly. "You're cooking." she observed.

"Attempting to." he corrected her with a grin, following the kunoichi as she took a seat on the couch.

They sat in silence for a few moments, the tension between them growing heavier with each passing second. Kakashi could tell that this wasn't just a friendly visit, that there was something serious going on. Sakura couldn't even gather up the courage to look at him, which made his gut wrench uncomfortably.

"I, uh, well…" Sakura began nervously, running a hand through her hair.

"Whatever it is, just tell me, Sakura. I'm a big boy, I'm sure I can handle it."

Surprised by the tone of Kakashi's voice, the pinkette's eyes snapped to meet his lone one.

"Sasuke-kun asked me to move in with him." she eventually uttered, surprised with how even her voice was.

Kakashi blinked. "What did you say to that?"

Sakura's gaze moved to her knees. "I haven't given him an answer. I couldn't, I needed to figure out everything first. I just…I don't think I can do this anymore."

Although he could hear the pain in Sakura's voice, Kakashi couldn't help the swell of hope that began to rise in his chest. Had this been the moment they'd been waiting for, when the lying had become too much for her to handle? Had she finally realised that she was happier with him, that Sasuke would only bring her misery?

"I know it's a big decision to make, but I think it's the right one." he comforted her, laying a hand gently on her upper back.

Sakura looked at him once more, confusion etched into her delicate features. "Really?"

"You knew this was never going to work, up until now you've simply been trying to convince yourself that it would." Kakashi added knowingly.

"I guess you're right." she sighed.

"Besides, Sasuke has brought you nothing but misery throughout the years. Did you really believe that marrying him would change that?"

Sakura paused for a moment before her eyebrows knitted together with pure perplexity. "Wait, what?"

Now it was Kakashi's turn to look bewildered. "You said that you couldn't do it anymore..."

"I meant this, Kakashi. Not Sasuke-kun and I."

Oh.

_Oh._

Now Kakashi felt positively foolish. He quickly withdrew his hand from Sakura's back and got to his feet before beginning to pace back and forth across the room in an attempt to gather his thoughts and make sense of what was happening.

The hope he'd been feeling moments earlier had been quickly replaced with anger and pain. He'd honestly believed that when the time came for Sakura to finally make a decision, that she'd make one that was best for her. And Sasuke certainly wasn't what was best for her. He'd hurt her over and over again in the past, in more ways than one.

"I don't understand." he finally admitted, glancing over to the pinkette. "I know you're not happy with Sasuke, so why would you choose him?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to be irritated, with frustration appearing on her features.

"What makes you think that I'm not happy with Sasuke-kun?"

Kakashi let out a dry laugh. "If you really were so content with him, you wouldn't be here every night with me."

The look on Sakura's face darkened into a scowl. She'd come to speak to Kakashi and had foolishly hoped for an amicable end to the physical relationship they had shared, knowing that as a much older man, he'd surely be mature about the entire situation and be understanding.

Unfortunately, that didn't seem like the case.

"You know that I love Sasuke-kun, and that I always have." she replied steadily, her voice low. "I'm not going to throw away everything that I have always wanted for this. I need to think about him and his feelings; if he knew what I'd been doing behind his back-"

"What about my feelings?" Kakashi interrupted her, eyebrows furrowed together.

"Your feelings about what? What we had was just meaningless sex, a fling. It meant nothing, it was just a way for us to let off some steam." Sakura explained, crossing her arms.

The pain in his chest began to intensify with each of the pinkette's cutting words.

"As I recall, you began this entire thing when you came to my place, took off your dress and implored me to make love to you. Sex is meaningless, but making love is not. I don't think that you're really considering the entire picture with a clear mind." he fumed, trying his best to maintain calm.

Sakura eyes widened. Had Kakashi really been thinking that their time together had meant more than what it actually had? Sure there was definite attraction, but it had been clear since the beginning that there was no future for them as a couple. He had to have known that it would over one day, that she would go ahead and marry Sasuke, the man of her dreams.

"I have taken everything into consideration, which is why I am here. I'm trying to be a responsible adult, and try to end this as cordially as possible."

Kakashi let out another resentful chuckle.

"You know what Sakura? The last few months I've found myself amazed at how much you've grown up, it's only now that I realise that's just a mask; mentally you're still acting like a child. No matter how much stronger you have become and everything you have been through in the last few years, at the end of the day you're still that simpering twelve year-old girl who thinks of nothing but her precious Sasuke-_kun_."

Sakura gasped at his heated accusation, feeling like a knife was impaling her chest. The stinging of angry tears in her eyes made her aware of how much his words were hurting her, but she would not allow Kakashi to see her cry.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." she seethed at him through clenched teeth.

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed at her.

"You were so focused on Sasuke in those early years that you never even noticed how much Naruto liked you. Even if you weren't interested in him romantically, you still could have attempted to become his friend. But no matter how many times he would try to reach out to you, you consistently ignored him and instead gave all your attention to a boy who didn't even seem to care that you even existed." he accused, hating the livid words that were escaping his lips.

"That's a load of complete crap, Kakashi. You know damn well that Naruto is my _best_ friend." Sakura retorted, her face growing redder with ire as each second passed.

"Now he is, yes. It was only when Sasuke turned his back on the village and left that you finally gave Naruto a chance."

Sakura was aware that she had made many mistakes in the past, but had never seen her actions as a young girl like Kakashi had seemed to witness them. Her hands clenched into fists by her sides as her fury continued to build, the moisture in her eyes continuing to build up but she was determined that not a single one would fall.

"It's not like you haven't done the same thing. At the beginning, all I wanted was to show you my potential and earn myself some kind of praise in any way, for you to acknowledge me. Instead you constantly held us all at an arm's length, and practically neglected Naruto and I to train up Sasuke-kun. Even when he abandoned the village, you still left us in the hands of others; we were lucky to have been taken under the wings of Jiraiya-sensei and Tsunade-shishou." she bit back, amazed at all the weight that was coming off her chest with each word spoken.

Kakashi closed his eye and took in a deep breath.

"I am aware of my past mistakes, and have had no problem owning up to them. Perhaps it's time that you do the same." he replied bitterly, his obsidian orb appearing once more to glance at the pinkette.

She promptly let out a growl of exasperation and stood up from the couch. "You know what? I don't have to take this from you. Whatever we had is over, Kakashi. I'm getting married to Sasuke-kun whether you like it or not, and you're just going to have to accept that."

Sakura headed to the front door, not bothering to look back at Kakashi as she quickly opened it, walked through the threshold and then slammed the door behind her, the noise reverberating in Kakashi's ears.

Emitting a snarl of vexation, Kakashi promptly moved over to the nearest wall and impaled his fist clean through the thick wood. He felt so furious and hurt at that moment that he didn't notice the blood that began to trickle from his knuckles nor the pain that accompanied it; too consumed with his thoughts that he did not hear the hushed sobs that began to sound from the other side of his front door.

* * *

As Sakura finally made it to her place, she hoped that Sasuke had stayed around to hear her answer. She honestly hadn't expected to be gone so long; then again, she also hadn't anticipated the way Kakashi had reacted to the news, or her decision to end things with him.

She knew it was the right thing to do, yet the look of hurt that had etched into his handsome features had seemingly broken her heart, and her chest pained when the image flashed in her thoughts. Still, there had been absolutely no reason for him to act the way he had; it had been clear since the beginning that she was going to marry Sasuke, that what they shared was a simply fling that would eventually end at some point.

Knowing her eyes were still slightly bloodshot and her nose was most likely red, she opened her front door and instantly saw Sasuke, who was relaxing on the nearby couch. He looked incredibly bored, his face blank and impassive as he regarded her.

"Did you make a decision?" he questioned her bluntly as he stood up, obviously not noticing the tell-tale signs of crying on her face.

"I did. I will move in with you. Actually, I'll start packing immediately." Sakura told him, happy with fact that she had finally made her choice, but still upset from the massive argument between she and Kakashi.

Desperately seeking some kind of comfort, she moved over to Sasuke and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, bringing him up against her body in an embrace. Surprisingly, Sasuke responded, snaking one arm around her petite waist, his other hand moving to entangle his fingers in her azalea tendrils.

As Sakura buried her face into the crook of Sasuke's neck, she missed the unnerving smirk of pure triumph that appeared on his lips, the glint of victory in his fathomless obsidian eyes.

_You're mine._

* * *

_Here's three things you should know;_

_1. No smuttiness in this chapter, instead we get a break-up and an argument. I know it seems like I'm hating on them both but I'm really not, they're both just hurt and blowing up everything out of proportion. I hope it seemed realistic anyways. _

_2. I know that Sasuke responding to affection is strange, but he's not really seeing it as a loving embrace; the way he is holding her is meant to reflect his possessiveness. I hope that this chapter has kind of given you an idea of what's going on in that head of his - and yes, I will confirm that he does know what's been going on with Sakura and Kakashi,_

_3. Speaking of Sasuke, does anyone else read the manga? I swear to go I spazzed out completely with the latest chapter. I won't go too much into detail (I don't want to ruin things for those who don't read the manga) but all I can say really is OH MY GOD._

_Please let me know what you think, feedback in incredibly helpful and very much appreciated! :)_


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